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1.6 

.4 6"     ~ 

► 

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<^ 


/a 


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'c-1 


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la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

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dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — »-  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 

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et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n6cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

V   im' 


i 


1 


A 

16-2. 


DROPS  FROM  A 


LIVING  FOUNTAIN 


By  James  A.  Francis, 

Pastor  Riverside  Baptist  Church, 
New  York  City. 


NEW   \v)RK  : 

E.  Scott  Co.,  Printers  and  Pi-blishers, 
146  West  23L)  Street. 


Copyright,  1895, 
JAMRS  A  Fkancis. 


TO  THE  CHURCH 

in  ivhich  I  have  the  privilege  of 
being  a  servant^  and  to  ivJiicJi  I 
am  bound  by  ties  ivIiieJi  grow 
every  day  stronger  and  dearer, 
this  little  book  is  lovingly  in- 
scribed. 


^o^rf 


PREFACE. 

^HIS    little    volume    of    condensed    sermons 
and   prayer-meeting   talks   is  the  outcome 
of  a  suggestion  from  one   of   the  congregation, 
to    wit,   that    inasmuch    as   the    Lord    had  been 
pleased  to  own  them  to  the  conversion  of  some 
and  the  upbuilding  of  others,  when   they  were 
spoken,  they  might  be  found  not  unfruitful   in 
printed   form.       The   book   has    been   prepared 
hurriedly,  by  an  unskilful   hand,  in  the  midst 
of   the  pressing   duties  of   a  city  pastorate.     It 
is  put  forth  without    the  least  claim  to  literary 
merit,  with   the  hope  and  prayer   that   it   may 
just  accomplish  the  one  end,  to  lead  the  reader 
to  love  more  the  precious  Name   that   appears 
in  every  page. 

J.  A.  F. 


ii 


CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

The  Lttt[,e  Gospel,         .        .        .        .  q 

A  Jailer  Converted  Throucjii  a  Prisoner,  13 

A  Man  who  Tried  to  Wash  his  Hands,  17 

A  Lost  Bov, 21 

Helpers  and  Hinderers,        -        -        -  26 

Beginning  Life  Over,          -        -        -  31 

The  Blessing  of  Thanksgiving,    -        -  37 

Two  TvIen  vSaving  Their  Prayers,     -  41 

The  Curse  of  Laziness,         -        -        -  46 

Jesus'  Welcome  to  a  New  Disciple,  51 

The  Temptation  of  Jesus,     -        .        .  56 

The  Nature  of  True  Religion,        -  60 

The  Oi5jEC'i'  of  the  Gospel,           -        -  64 

A  Resting  Place,       ....  (Sg 

The  Great  Salvation,    -        -        -        -  74 

Saved  by  God  tfh^ough  Righteousness,  78 

A  Broken  Family  Circle  Mended,       -  83 

The  Possibilities  of  P'aith,       -        -  Sy 

Faith,  Hoi'e,  and  Love,         -        -        -  92 
God's    Thought    About    His    Children, 

Before  the  World  Was,    -        -  98 


8  CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

God's  Inheritance  and  Ours,        -        -  103 

What  Does  it  Mean  to  be  Saved?  107 

A  Great  Gift  and  a  Princely  Giver,  i  i  i 

The  Kind  of  Prayer  that  is  Answered,  116 

A  Dismal  Failure  and  Its  Cause, 

The    Man    Who    Introduced    Jesus    to 
the  World,        .        .        .        . 

The    High    Water    Mark  of   Christian 
Experience,        -        .        .        . 

Are  We  Responsible  for  Each  Other? 

Love's  Course,  .... 

A  Man  with  an  Experience, 

A  Sermon  Without  Words,  - 

After  Death  What? 

On  a  Mountain  with  Jesus,  - 

The  Measure   of   God's    Power   in    the 
Christian, 

Believing  God  Under  Difficulties, 

The  Spirit,  the  Word,  and  the  Man, 

The  Christian's  Secret, 

The  Great  Revealer, 


127 

131 

135 

140 

144 

1 

148 

153 

157 

161 

•i 

1 

166 

) 

170 

1 

174 

178 
185 

1 

1 

j  THE  LITTLE  GOSPEL. 

For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  hir,  only 
begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should 
not  perish  but  have  everlasting  life.— John  3:  i6. 

IT   was   Martin  Luther  who  called  this  verse 
''The  Little  Gospel."      Not  that  the  gospel 
it  contains  is   little,  it  is  infinite;   but  that  the 
'  whole  gospel  is  compressed  into  the  little  com- 

pass of  a  single  sentence.  Probably  it  will  be 
found,  when  the  hisbny  of  the  church  of  Christ 
is  completed,  that  more  men  and  women  have 
been  led  into  life  eternal  through  this  verse,  than 
I  any  other  in  the  Bible.     It   begins  with  God,  it 

ends  with  life ;  the  world  comes  in  between. 
I  We  have  here  first  of  all,  the  source  of  salva- 

.  tion  ;    '*God   so    loved   the    world."     A  thirsty 

;  traveller  under  a  burning  sun  on  a  dusty  highway 

I  comes  to  a  sparkling  fountain.     He  drinks  and 

I  then   asks,    "Whence    this   delicious   stream?" 

f  The  answer  is,  "Yonder.     Somewhere  far  up  in 


10  DROPS    FROM    A 

the  heart  of  the  mountain,  is  a  hidden  reservoir 
from  which  the  fountain  flows."     O,  traveller  on 
life's  highway,  behold  the  fountain !     Over  it  is 
inscribed,  ''Whosoever   will,  let   him   take    the 
water  of  life   freely."      The  original  source  of 
that  fountain  is  in  the  heart  of  God.      God  the 
infinite,  perfect,  spirit;  the  source,   support  and 
end    of    all    things;     God,  back   of   whom   and 
beyond  whom  there  is  nothing.      "God  so  loved 
the  world."     Nothing  in  us  is  the  source,  in  any 
sense,  of  our  salvation.     But  because  his  nature 
is    love,   and  because   from  all  eternity  he  fixed 
his  love  on  us,  the  blessings  of  salvation  follow. 

Here,  too,  is  the  av^j  of  salvation ;    "He  gave 
his   only    begotten    vSon."       Dismiss   from   your 
mind    forever,    every    other   way.       "There   is 
none   other   name   under  heaven    given   among 
men  whereby  we  must  be  saved."     Christ  came, 
the  Father's  love  gift  to  a  lost  world.      He  lived 
among    us;    he    taught    us;     he    revealed    the 
Father  to  us ;   he  died  for  us ;  he  rose  again ;  he 
was  received  back  to  the  throne.     This  is  God's 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  u 

one,  only,  last  and  eternal  way  of  salvation. 
Christ  is  the  center  of  all  God's  counsels  of  grace 
about  man.  There  is  no  other  meeting  place 
between  a  holy  God  and  a  sinful  man.  Jesus 
said,  "I  am  the  way,  no  man  cometh  unto  the 
Father,  but  by  me."  -  God  was  in  Christ  recon- 
ciling the  world  unto  himself,"  Come  to  Christ 
and  you  have  come  to  God. 

Here,  too,  we  find  the  terms  of  salvation. 
''That  whosoever  believeth  in  him."  Divinely 
simple.  Man  wants  to  do  in  order  to  be  saved. 
God  says,  -No,  come  to  Calvary,  behold  what  has 
been  done,  done  by  another,  done  for  thee; 
believe,  trust,  rest,  accept  and  be  saved." 
"Stand  still  and  see  the  salvation  of  God." 
Trust  your  own  doing,  and  it  will  be  the  death 
of  you  ;  trust  Christ  and  you  are  as  safe  as  God 
can  make  you. 

Here,  too,  is  salvation  itself  contrasted  with 
the  doom  of  the  lost.  -Should  not  perish  but 
have  everlasting  lifer  Repeat  the  two  words 
to  yourself.      '  ^Perish,  everlasting  lifer     One  word 


12  DROPS    FROM    A 

makes  vou  look  down  into  an  abvss  without  a 
bottom,  "Perish."  The  Bible  says  little  about 
the  doom  of  the  lost.  God  seems  to  have  left  it 
purposely  shrouded  in  the  gloom  of  an  awful 
mystery.  But  who  can  repeat  without  sadness 
unspeakable,  this  one  word  concerning  the  vSoul, 
"  Perish."  The  other  word  makes  us  look  up, 
"  Eternal  life."  It  begins  here,  '*  He  that  hath 
the  Son  hath  life."  Christ  in  us  is  eternal  life ; 
pure  life,  God's  own  life,  boundless  life,  end- 
less life.     This  is  the  gift  of  God. 

O,  God,  Thou  art  the  source  of  salvation! 
O,  Jesus,  Thou  art  the  way  !  Faith  is  the  simple 
condition  through  which  we  may  lay  hold  on  the 
life  that  is  life  indeed. 


^" 


i 


'A. 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  13 


A    JAILER     ^:iNVERTED     THROUGH     A 

PRISONER. 

And  brought  them  out,  and  said.  Sirs,  what  must  I 
do  to  be  saved?  And  they  said,  Lelieve  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved,  and  thy  house  - 
Acts  16  :  30,  31, 

"pHE  above  question  was  asked  by  a  heathen 
jailer  of  a  prisoner  in  his  charge.     Let  us 
review  the  story. 

When  Paul  and  his  companions  were  on 
the  western  coast  of  Asia,  he  saw  in  a  dream 
one  night,  a  man  of  Greece  beckoning  to  him 
and  saying,  '  ^  Come  over  into  Macedonia  and 
help  us."  It  was  the  call  of  God.  They  went, 
but  on  landing  the  man  was  nowhere  to  be  found. 

Going  to  a  prayer-meeting  a  few  days  later, 
in  the  city  of  Phillipi,  they  were  followed  by  an 
insane  girl.  She  kept  crying,  -These  men  are 
the  servants  of  the  most  high  God,  which 
shew   unto    us    the    way    of    salvation."      She 


it- 


14  DROPS    FROM    A 

was  telling-  the  truth,  but  the  spirit  that  pos- 
sessed her  was  of  Satan.  Paul  shared  the 
faith  of  his  Master,  that  the  kingdom  of  God 
could  not  be  established  by  the  testimony  of 
Satan ;  so  after  listening  to  her  strange,  wild 
cry  for  days,  he  turned,  and  said  to  the  spirit, 
"I  command  thee  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  to 
come  out  of  her."  Satan  can  stand  before 
anything  but  the  name  of  Jesus ;  but  that  name, 
spoken  in  faith,  will  conquer  in  any  realm,  from 
heaven's  throne  to  the  gates  of  hell.  She  was 
cured. 

And  now  we  get  a  glimpse  of  what  men 
were,  even  in  cultured  Greece,  without  the  grace 
of  God.  A  syndicate  of  men  who  had  owned 
that  poor  girl,  and  had  made  money  out  of  her 
ravings,  dragged  Paul  and  Silas  before  the 
rulers  upon  a  false  charge.  They  w^ere  beaten 
till  half  dead,  thrown  into  pri.son,  and  the  jailer, 
having  been  charged  to  keep  them  safely, 
"Thrust  them  into  the  inner  prison,  and  made 
their  feet  fast  in  the  stocks." 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  15 

The  next  turn  of  the  story  is  a  touch  of 
heaven's  harmony  amid  earth's  discord.  "At 
midnight,  Paul  and  Silas  prayed  and  sang 
praises  unto  God  ;  and  the  prisoners  heard 
them,"  There  was  a  secret  in  that  Phillipian 
dungeon  of  which  Caesar  in  his  gilded  palace 
on  the  Tiber  never  dreamed.  Christ  was 
there  comforting  his  suffering  disciples. 

But  it  was  time  now  for  God  to  work. 
"And  suddenly  there  was  a  great  earthquake,  and 
all  the  doors  were  opened,  and  every  one's  bands 
w^ere  loosed."  A  little  boy  who  had  lost  the  key 
of  the  tiny  safe  in  which  he  kept  his  pennies, 
brought  it  to  his  father  to  have  it  opened.  The 
father  took  it  in  both  hands,  shook  it  a  moment, 
and  the  door  flew  open.  It  has  been  quaintly 
said :  '  *  God  could  have  picked  the  lock  of  the 
jail  at  Phillipi ;  it  would  have  been  an  economy 
of  power ;  but  he  has  no  need  to  economize  in 
the  use  of  power.  He  just  picked  up  the  earth 
and  shook  it  until  the  door  flew  open."  The 
jailer  awoke;  the  doors  were  open.     "  He  drew 


i6 


DROPS    P^ROM    A 


out  his  sword  and  would  have  killed  himself." 
A  voice  from  within  said,  ''Do  thyself  no  harm, 
we  are  all  here." 

He   broug-ht  them  out,   and  in    his  anxietv, 
borrowing,  perhaps,  an    idea  and  a  word    from 
the  insane   cry   with   which    the  people    of   the 
town    had    been    recently   so    familiar,   he   said, 
"What   must    I    do  to    be    saved?"       It    was 
Paul's   life    business   to    answer   that  question  ; 
quickly  came  the  reply:    "  Believe  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  and  thou  shalt  be  saved,  and  thy 
house." 

When  the  sun  set  that  night,  he  was  an 
ignorant  heathen.  When  the  sun  rose  next 
morning-,  he  was  a  baptized  believer.  Thus  was 
the  gospel  planted  on  the  European  shore. 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  17 


A  MAN  WHO  TRIED  TO  WASH  HIS 

HANDS. 

He  took  water  and  washed  his  hands. 
Matthew  27  :  24. 

T  ESUS  once  stood  at  the  bar  of  an  earthly  tri- 
•^  bimal,  and  they  knew  him  not.  A  Roman 
governor  named  Pilate  was  the  judge.  The 
Jews  brought  him  there  because  they  desired 
his  death  and  had  not  authority  themselves  to 
accomplish  it. 

But  God  took  especial  pains  that  Pilate 
should  not  act  in  the  dark.  He  had  three  things 
to  guide  him.  First,  he  saw,  as  a  keen  eyed 
man  could  see,  ^^That  for  envy  they  had  de- 
livered him;"  that  their  charges  were  worth- 
less, besides  contradicting  each  other.  This 
alone  should  have  made  the  prisoner's  innocence 
seem  at  least  probable.  He  had  warning  from 
another  source.  During  the  trial  a  hurried 
message  arrived  from  his  wife:     ^'Pilate,  have 


'**  DUO  PS    FROM    A 


thou  nothing  to  do  with  that  just  man :  for  I  have 
suffered  many  things  this  day  in  a  dream   be- 
cause of  him."    A   third   thing  threw  light  on 
Plate's    mind.       It    was    Jesus'   own    bearing 
Before  the  Jewish  Sanhedrin  he  had  been  like  a 
lamb  before  his  shearers,  dumb.     It  was  no  use 
to  speak  there;  full  light  had   previously   been 
given  to  them.     But  it  seemed  ^,s  if  Jesus  would 
not  permit  Pilate  to  stain  his  hands  with  crime 
tinenhghtened.     In  answer  to  his  question  abou[ 
his   kmgship,  Jesus   explained   that  his  "Kino-, 
dom   was   not   of  this   world-    that   it    was  °a 
kmgdom  of  the  children  of  truth. 

So  impressed  was  Pilate  with  his  innocence, 
that  he  thrice  repeated  the  statement,  "I  find 
no  fault  in  him."  And  then,  as  if  thinking  that 
the  same  bearing  that  had  impressed  him,  would 
also  impress  them,  he  brought  him  forth  before 
them  all,  and  cried,  '  •  Ecce  Homo ! "     Behold  the 


man 


But   their  minds   were   made   up.      Die   he 
must,    if   they   had   their   way.       Pilate   turned 


f,8 
H 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  jg 

every  way;  at  last  gave  them  their  choice 
between  Jesus  and  a  man  who  was  both  murderer 
and  robber.  Israel  chose  a  murderer  and  rob- 
ber, and  poor  Israel  has  been  robbed  and  mur- 
dered ever  since. 

At  last,  for  selfish  reasons,  Pilate  went  against 
the  voice  of  reason,  against  the  voice  of  his  wife, 
against  the  voice  of  conscience  which  spoke  in 
thunder  tones  from  within,  and  decided  as  they 
desired.  And  then,  most  pitiable  piece  of  act- 
ing, "Took  water,  and  washed  his  hands  be- 
fore the  multitude."  Ah,  Pilate!  it  is  now  no 
use,  water  will  not  take  that  stain  away.  God 
in  his  providence  laid  the  responsibility  on  you  ; 
you  cannot  shift  it,  you  cannot  wash  your  hands 
of  it;  you  will  have  to  decide  it,  and  in  the  great 
day  face  the  record  of  your  decision. 

Our  thoughts  involuntarily  fly  onward  to  an- 
other tribtmal.  Jesus  is  on  the  judgment  seat; 
Pilate  stands  before  him.  All  is  changed.  Imag- 
ine, if  you  can,  his  feelings,  as  he  looks  up  into 
the  same  face  upon  which  he  once  looked  down, 


20 


DROPS    FROM    A 


and  as  he  listens  for  the  sentenee  from  the  Jud^e 
of  all  the  earth,  who  once  .stood  before  hL  1 
friendless,  though  innocent  man 

But  does  Pilate's  case  differ  so  widely  from  our 
own  ?    Every  hearer  of  the  gospel  has  Jesus  thrust 

^iponh:s hands,  either  foraceeptanceorrejeetin 
We  C.U.        more  wash  our  hands  of  the  matter 

man   ir'ilate   could        Jli^niri,. 

-,  1         .  -i-'ecide   we    must.      If   we 

delay,  time  will  decide  for  us  and  thnt  th. 

^'^^  ana  tiiat  the  wrong- 

''^-  ^""^  <3"^«'>°»  Pilate  asked  waits  for  an 
answer  at  each  heart's  door,  ••  What  shall  I  do 
then  with  Jesus  which  is  called  Christ  >  - 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


21 


A    LOST    BOY. 

Luke  15  :  11-24. 

QF   all    the   pictures    Jesus   ever    drew,    this 
will   always   be   the   favorite.     We   some- 
times feel  afraid  to  touch  it  in  comment.     We 
may  mar  it,  but  no  human  hand  can  ever  enhance 
its  beauty. 

^  A  discontented  boy ;  the  property  divided ; 
a  journey  to  a  far  country ;  a  course  of  dissi- 
pation ;  a  homeless  outcast ;  a  quiet  meditation : 
a  new  resolve ;  a  journey  home ;  an  humble 
confession ;  a  father's  forgiveness ;  and  the  lost 
boy  is  found. 

It^  is  an  earthly  story  with  a  heavenly 
meaning.  It  touches  many  questions  of  sin 
and  salvation.  We  will  speak  of  but  four. 
It  gives  us  a  glimpse  of  what  ^/;/  is  like,  of  what 
repentance  is  like,  of  what  God  is  like,  and  of 
what    salvation    is    like.        Sin    in   its   ugliness, 


22 


DKOI'S    KkOM 


repentance  in  its  simplicity,  God  in  his  match- 
less  kindness,  and  salvation  in  its  joy,  are  made 
to  shine  out  in  this  sweet  tale,  as  only  Jesns 
could  make  them  shine. 

A   picture  of  sin.     It  is  like  a  discontented 
boy  taking  his  fortune  into  his  own  hands,  leav- 
mg  home  to  escape  the  restraint  of  father,  and 
then   spending  all   without  thought  or   reason. 
Read  between  the  lines  a  little,  and  you  will  find 
that  m  Its  inmost  essence,  selfishness  is  the  root 
pnncple  of  sin.     Yes,  of  every  sin  .since  Eve's 
errmg  hand  plucked  the  fruit  of  the  forbidden 
tree.     Not  all  ,si„  looks  selfish  on  the  surface. 
Somet.me.s  it   looks  generous   and   big-hearted, 
but     careful  examination  will  reveal  that  sin  is 
selfishness. 

But    more,    the    story    shows    that    misery 
must   follow  on   the   heels  of  sin.      O,  ye  who 
declare    your    faith    in    the    God    of    Lure 
.;vee      '      Doth  not  Nature  it.,elf   teach  yo' 
this  ?     Have  you  discovered  any  .sphere  where 

sm  does  not  entail  sufferinp- >     l\r. 

auuermg  f     No  man  was  ever 


a 


LIVINC;    FOUNTAIN. 


25 


smart  eiiou^rh  to  divorce  these  two.  God  him- 
self has  joined  them  together  in  the  nature  of 
things,  and  what  God  has  joined  together,  in 
this  instance,  man  has  never  been  able  to  put 
asunder.  The  rags  and  hunger  of  the  swine 
trough  follow  the  riotous  living  as  certainly  as 
effect  can  follow  cause. 

A  picture  of  repentance.      One  day  he  began 
to  think.     If  men  would  think  more,  more  men 
would   be   saved.      One   has   well    said,    -Ten 
minutes  of  serious  thought  might  save  a  world." 
As  soon  as  he  began  to  think,  things  began  to 
assume  their  proper  proportions  before  his  eyes 
He  saw  that  the  life  of  sin,  so  far  as  giving  hap^ 
piness    was    concerned,    had   been    an   absolute 
failure  :    that  his  father's   hired   servants   were 
better  off  than  he.     Thought  produced  repent- 
ance.     Now  mark  its  simplicity.     He  said,  -I  will 
arise  and  go  to  my  father."     -And  he  arose  and 
came  to  his  father."     Repentance  means  simply 
a   change   of   mind,   and   implies,   of  course,   a 
change  of  behavior  as  the  result.     There  is  a 


24  DROrS    FROM    A 

false  notion  that  repentance  means  sorrow  for 

sin.     It  does  not.     Sorrow  for  sin  accompanies 

repentance,  but  repentance  is  a  change  of  mind. 

;  vSimple  as  it  is,  it  is  the  one  thing  tliat  no  one, 

'  not  even  God  himself,  can  do  for  a  man,     "  God 

commandeth    all    men    everywhere    to   repent." 

It  was  a  great  day  for  the  young  man  when 

he  said,  "I  will."     It  turned  his  feet  from  the  path 

of  shame,  to  the  path  of  life  and  joy.     When  we 

stand   on    the   hills   of    o-jorv   and    review   our 
i  ^ 

pilgrim  pathway,  methmks  there  will  be  one  day 
I  that  will  seem,  the  red  letter  day  in  the  calendar 

I  of  eternity  to  us.     'Twill  be  the  day  when   to 

1  Jesus'  offer,  we  said,  "I  will." 

A  glimpse  of  the  character  of  God.     "  When 

■ 

he  was  yet  a  great  way  oif,  his  father  saw  him, 
•  and  had  compassion,   and  ran,  and   fell  on  his 

f  neck,  and  kissed  him."    He  began  his  confession  : 

I  ''Father  I  have  sinned."     But  the  father  could 

j  not  wait  to   hear  it   through.       His   heart   had 

yearned  during  all  thos  3  years  of  shame  to  see 
his  boy.     He  was  in  a  hurry  to  bless,  and  in  the 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  2$ 

midst  of  the  penitent's  confession  he  cried, 
"Bring  forth  the  best  robe,  and  put  it  on  him; 
and  put  a  ring  on  his  hand,  and  shoes  on  his 
feet:  and  bring  hither  the  fatted  calf,  and  kill 
it."  Need  we  say  more?  This  is  Jesus'  picture 
of  his  Father,  and  our  Father,  receiving  a  prodi- 
gal. There  is  no  welcome  such  as  God  gives 
the  sinner  who  will  turn  and  believe. 

A  picture  of  salvation.  He  is  seated  at  the 
table  with  the  father,  feasting  upon  the  best,  the 
servants  rejoicing,  the  household  enjoying  a 
holiday,  the  joy  of  the  father  finding  response  in 
the  joy  of  the  son,  the  past  obliterated,  the 
harmony  restored.  Such  is  Jesus'  picture  of 
salvation :  a  sinner  saved  from  sin's  swine 
trough,  to  the  Father's  house,  and  the  bosom  of 
God. 


'1 


26  DROPS    FROM    A 


HELPERS  AND  HINDERERS. 

And  they  come  unto  him,  bringing  one  sick  of  the 
palsy,  which  was  borne  of  four.  And  when  they  could 
not  come  nigh  unto  him  for  the  press,  they  uncovered  the 
roof  where  he  was :  and  when  they  had  broken  it  up, 
they  let  down  the  bed  wherein  the  sick  of  the  palsy  lay. 
When  Jesus  saw  their  faith,  he  said  unto  the  sick  of  the 
palsy,  Son.  thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee.— Mark  2  :  3-5. 

TESUS  was  preacliing;  in  a  house.  A  crowd 
filled  the  house  and  g-athered  round  the 
door.  Near  the  place  was  a  palsied  man.  He 
had  heard  of  Jesus,  but  he  couldn't  come  to  him. 
He  was  helpless.  It  is  easy  to  imagine  the  wist- 
ful longing  of  his  heart  as  he  heard  some  one 
tell  of  the  cures  of  the  prophet  of  Nazareth. 
But  he  had  four  friends;  they  loved  him;  they 
believed  on  Jesus  as  a  healer;  their  creed  was 
simple,  two  clauses,  -We  love  our  palsied  friend, 
and  we  believe  that  if  we  can  g-et  him  to  Jesus 
he  will  heal  liim." 

Their  creed  produced   action.     Does  yours? 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  27 

If  not  I  don't  care  to  hear  it.  If  your  creed 
does  not  control  your  life  it  might  as  well 
be  the  creed  of  Confucius  or  Mahomet  as  the 
doctrine  of  Christ.  Well  said  Wesley :  '  'A  string  of 
opinions  on  a  man's  tongue  is  no  more  Christian 
faith,  than  a  string  of  beads  around  his  neck  would 
be  Christian  practice. "  Faith  that  God  calls  faith, 
fires  the  life  with  holy  earnestness  that  will  not 
keep  still.  The  logic  of  the  case  is  clear.  If  I 
really  believe  that  men  are  lost,  and  that  if  they 
can  be  brought  to  Jesus  he  will  save  them,  I'll 
go  to  work.  A  man  may  say  he  believes  it,  and 
then  go  to  sleep.  But  if  he  really  believes,  he  will 
go  to  work.  They  brought  him.  They  were 
Jesus'  helpers  in  his  salvation. 

They  reached  the  house — there  was  an  obsta- 
cle in  the  way — the  crowd  would  not  move  to 
let  them  in.  Too  eager  were  they  to  trip 
Jesus  in  his  words,  to  criticise,  to  find  fault, 
to  admit  of  stepping  aside  a  moment  to  give 
a  poor  palsied  man  a  chance.  Did  they  give 
it  up  ?     Ah  no  !     Faith  and  love  combined  to 


28  DROPS    FROM    A  | 

kindle  something  in  those  men  which  would  not  i 

be  beaten.  To  the  back  of  the  house,  up  the 
outside  stair,  to  the  roof  they  carried  him ;  and, 
all  at  once,  the  sermon  is  disturbed  by  the  break- 
ing in  of  the  roof,  and  the  sick  man  is  lowered 
from  overhead,  at  Jesus'  feet.  ; 

It  was  an  irregular  way  to  enter  a  house. 
Would  you  find  fault  with  a  soul  being  saved  in 
an  irregular  way?  Any  means  that  will  get  a 
sinner  to  Jesus  is  legitimate.  Faith  and  love  will 
drive  a  coach  and  four  through  any  ecclesiastical 
rule  ever  made,  to  benefit  a  sinsick  soul.  Did 
the  Lord  find  fault  with  their  disturbance  ?  It 
is  written :  -When  Jesus  saw  their  faith,  he  said 
unto  the  sick  of  the  palsy.  Son,  thy  sins  be  for-  i 

given  thee." 

But  it  was  not  forgiveness  the  man  was 
after.  The  ways  of  Jesus  are  well  worth 
watching.  He  knew  the  man  needed  healing; 
he  knew  he  needed  something  else  far  more. 
He  began  with  the  deeper  need.  When  the 
Scribes   and    Pharisees  heard   this,    "P'orgiven! 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  29 

forgiven  !     What  blasphemy !     Who  can  forgive 
sins  but  God  ?"     With  flashing  eyes  the  Lord 
surveyed     them,    and     then    said,    ^' Which    is 
easier  ?  "     And  then,  turning  to  the  sick  man  he 
gave   them   an   exhibition,  in   the  realm  of   the 
visible,  of  that  power  in  which  they  refused  to 
believe  in  the  realm  of  the  i'lvisible.     He  said, 
''Arise,  and  take  up  thy  bef".  and  walk."     It  was 
a  life  giving  word.   He  spoke  life,  health  and  vigor 
through   that   palsied    frame.       Up    he   sprang, 
rolled   up   the  mat  on  which   he  may   have  lain 
through   many  a  weary  year,  and   went  forth  a 
willing,  joyful  witness  of  the  healing  and  saving 
grace  and  power  of  Jesus. 

There,  then,  were  two  classes,  helpers  and 
hinderers.  To  which  one  of  them  do  we  belong? 
Says  someone,  '*I  am  neutral."  You  can't  be. 
Every  soul  who^e  pathway  is  crossed  by  Christ 
in  the  gospel,  casts  at  least  a  silent  vote,  for, 
or  against  him.  *'He  that  is  not  with  me  is 
against  me,  and  he  that  gathereth  not  with  me 
scattereth  abroad." 


30  DROPS    FROM    A 

It  is  written,  -Happy  is  he  that  hath 
the  God  of  Jacob  for  his  help."  It  might  be 
written,  -  Happy  is  that  man  who  is  a  helper  to 
the  God  of  Jacob."  The  harvest  is  being 
gathered;  the  feast  of  -Harvest  Home"  is 
coming,  when  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  and  his 
helpers  will  rejoice  together. 


i" 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  31 


BEGINNING  LIFE  OVER. 

Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  him,  Verily,  veril}-,  I 
say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot 
see  the  kingdom  of  God. — John  3:  3. 

IVTO  thoughtful  person  can  read  the  words  of 
Christ  without  markingr  their  tone  of 
authority;  absolute,  more  than  iinperial,  god-like. 
Without  a  throne,  without  a  sceptre,  with  no 
crown,  except  once  a  crown  of  thorns,  he  could 
not  have  spoken  in  loftier  tones  of  supremacy 
had  he  been  seated  on  heaven's  throne  with  an 
adoring  universe  at  his  feet.  Prophet  and  seer 
had  said,  ''Thus  saith  the  Lord."  John  the 
Baptist,  the  greatest  of  the  sons  of  men,  had 
said,  ''  I  am  the  voice  of  one  crying."  But  hear 
Jesus:    "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you." 

A  Jewish  rabbi,  a  member  of  the  Sanhedrin, 
came  to  him  inquiring  the  way  of  life.  Our 
Lord's  answer  is  profound,  startling,  final. 
' '  Except  a  man  be  born  again  he  cannot  see  the 


SI' 


32  DROPS    FROM    A 

kingdom  of  God."     Whatever  else  this  means  it 
does  means  this ;  that  without  a  radical  change 
of   character  brought  about    by   a   birth   from 
above,  there  can  be  no  salvation.     Put  this  into 
your  creed  upon  the  authority  of  Jesus  Christ : 
"  Except  a  man  be  born  again  he  cannot  see  the 
kingdom  of  God,"     It  is  not  our  business   to 
prove  that  this  is  true.     He  will  never  thank  us 
for  so  doing.      Our   business   is   to   deliver  his 
message,  not  to  establish  it.     We  ask,  however, 
with  reverence,  four  questions  about  being  born 
again.     Why?   How?   When?   And  how  will  I 
know  that  I  have  been  born  again  ? 

Why?  A  story.  Two  excursions  were  to 
leave  the  same  wharf,  on  two  steamers,  the  same 
morning,  at  the  same  hour.  One  included  a 
number  of  Sunday-schools,  the  other  a  company 
of  sporting  men  going  out  to  witness  a  prize 
fight.  The  hour  arrived,  the  gang  planks  were 
bemg  pulled  in,  when  down  the  wharf  came  two 
men  running;  they  sprang,  each  on  board,  as 
he   supposed,    his    own    boat.      As    the    boats 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


33 


moved   out,    one   of  the   men,  a  Sunday-school 
superintendent,  started  below  to  find  the  child 
ren.     He  found  a  room  with  tables  strewn  with 
cards  and   beer  glasses,  and   an  atmosphere   of 
tobacco   smoke   and   profanity.      He   could   not 
get  ashore.     He  put  in  the  most  miserable  day 
of  his  life.     What  was  the  surprise  of  the  other, 
the  man  of  sport,  when  turning  to  look  for  his 
companions,  he  heard  the  voices  of  three  hun- 
dred  children   singing,  "All  hail  the  power  of 
Jesus'  name."     He  went   to  the   captain,  plead 
with   him   to  be  put  ashore,  and  actually   paid 
more  than  twenty  times  the  price  of  his  ticket 
to  get  out  of  the  company  he  was  in.     What  was 
the  matter  with  that  man  ?     They  were  all  ready 
to  treat  him  well.     Not  an  unkind  word  would 
have  been  spoken  to  him  that  day.     Yet  that 
ship  was  a  prison,  a  hell,  to  him.     Such,  only  in 
far  deeper  degree,  would  be  the  experience  of  an 
unconverted  soul  in  heaven.     That's  why  a  man 
nmst  be  born  again. 

How?     We  quote  from  God's  Word.     "But 


'  \ 


1 1  i 

34  DROPS    FROM    A 

as  many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave  he 
power  to  become  the  sons  of  God."'  Jesus  has 
come,  offering  himself  in  mighty  love,  and  in 
loving  might,  to  each  soul  as  a  Saviour.  The 
hour  in  which  the  soul  receives  him,  trusts  him, 
looks  to  him,  leans  on  him,  commits  itself  to 
him,  closes  in  with  his  offer,  that  is  the  hour  of 
that  soul's  second  birth. 

When  ?     \7e    answer,  first,    so    far   as    the 
Scriptures  reveal,  in  this  life  or  never.     Nor  is 
this  all ;  usually  early  in  life.     The  great  majority 
of    those    who   pass   thirty    without    becoming 
Christians,  never  become  so  at  all.     There  are 
exceptions ;  we  speak  of  the  rule.     Does  any  ask 
why  this  is  ?     The  answer  lies  on  the  surface  of 
thmgs.     Life's  habits  become  fixed.     A  young 
man  fresh  from  school  went  to  learn  the  black- 
smiths'  trade.     The  first  day  he  picked  up  with 
bared  hand,  a  hot  iron.     He  diopped  it  without 
waiting  for  orders.     But  three   years   afterward 
he  could  pick  up  an  iron  as  hot  and  hold  it  with- 
out  discomfort;  the   hand   had  become  used  to 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


35 


handling  hot  irons.  We  read  in  God's  Word  of 
"A  conscience  seared  as  with  a  hot  iron." 
Youthful  impressions,  however  deep,  not  acted 
on,  gradually  fade  away;  the  ear  grows  deaf  to 
the  voice  of  God ;  the  heart  hardens  against  the 
appeal  of  the  vSpirit;  all  unconsciously  to  the 
person  himself,  he  drifts  further  and  further 
away.  There  is  but  one  time  for  every  soul  to 
make  sure  ;  that  time  is  nozv. 

How  shall  I  know  when  I  have  been  born 
again  ?  There  are  many  marks.  We  speak  of 
but  two.  First. — Purity,  **  Whosoever  is  born 
of  God  sinneth  not."  We  speak  not  now  of  per- 
fection, but  the  bent  and  purpose  of  a  regener- 
ated life  is  against  sin,  and  for  righteousness. 
It  was  a  sinner  running  after  sin ;  it  is  a  sinner 
running  away  from  sin. 

Love. — "He  that  loveth  not  knoweth  not  God ; 
for  God  is  love."  ''We  know  that  we  have 
passed  from  death  unto  life,  because  we  love  the 
brethren."  ''He  that  loveth  not  his  brother 
abideth   in    death."      Do   you    love    Christians 


36 


DROPS    FROM    A 


because  they  are  Christ's  ?  If  so,  you  have  one 
of  the  best  evidences  that  you  have  been  born 
ag-ain.  It  is  indeed,  a  new  start  in  life,  for, 
"If  any  man  be  in  Christ  he  is  a  new  creature ;  old 
things  are  passed  away;  behold  all  things 
are  become  new." 


<«je 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


3; 


THE  BLESSING  OF  THANKSGIVING. 

Were  there  not  ten  cleansed?  but  where  are  the  nine? 

Luke  17  :  17. 


T  ESUS  was  passing  through  Gahlee  and  Sp.tna- 
•^  ria  for  the  last  time.  He  was  on  his  way  to 
Jerusalem ;  his  goal  was  Calvary.  With  stead- 
fast face  and  eager  step,  he  went  forward  to 
make  that  sacrifice  which  would  form  the  hinge 
on  which  the  ages  would  swing,  and  the  founda- 
tion on  which  his  church  would  rest  forever. 
Not  far  from  the  roadside  stood  a  group  of  ten 
poor  wretches  whose  misery  had  bound  them  to 
one  another.  One  word  tells  their  pitiable  story : — 
leprosy.  As  outcasts,  dead  among  the  living,  they 
must  not  come  within  a  certain  distance  of  any  clean 
person.  In  some  way  they  learn  who  is  passing 
and  together  they  raise  the  cry,  * 'Jesus,  Master, 
have  mercy  on  us,"  He  stopped.  No  cry  of 
need  ever  fell  unheeded  on  his  ears.     He  called 


J 


38  DROPS    FROM    A 

to  them,  "  Go  show  yourselves  unto  the  priest." 
They  knew  what  that  meant ;  it  was  the  promise 
of  cleansing- ;  and  they  were  to  show  themselves  to 
the  priest,  that  they  might  be  pronounced  clean, 
I  and   be   free  to   return    to  their  homes.     They 

start;  not  many  steps,  and  they  feel  a  mighty 
cha/ge;  the  leprosy  is  gone.  They  look  at 
themselves  and  each  other;  the}'  are  cleansed. 
Nine  of  them  simply  quickened  their  steps  and 
hastened  on,  congratulating  themselves  on  their 
good  luck.  One  stopped.  He  was  only  a  Sama- 
ritan, one  of  the  despised  race.  In  happier  days 
his  present  partners    would   have  scorned   him. 

Why  does  he  hesitate  ?     We  hear  liim   say,    "I  i 

i 
guess  this  business  of  going  to   the  priest  can  I 

wait  a  few  minutes."  He  hurries  back  to  Jesus, 
falls  before  him  and  pours  the  wealth  of  his 
gratitude  at  the  feet  of  his  benefactor.  Study 
now  the  face  of  the  Lord,  as  he  looks  at  the 
k-ieeling  form,  before  him  and  then  at  the  re- 
treating figures  of  the  nine.  "Were  there  not 
ten  cleansed  ?  but  where  are  the  nine  ?  "      And 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  39 

then  to  the  grateful  Samaritan  he  said,  "Arise, 
go  thy  way:  thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole." 

This  incident  sparkles  with  lessons.  It  does 
make  a  difference  to  the  Lord  whether  we  thank 
him  or  not.  If  we  receive  ingratitude  it  hurts 
us  just  in  proportion  as  we  love  the  person  who 
shows  it.  Apply  this  rule  to  Him.  The  heart 
of  the  Lord  possesses  the  infinite  sensitiveness 
of  an  infinite  love. 

Again,   the   Lord  intends  his  gifts  of  provi- 
dence to  lead  us  to  himself,  and  thus  make  us 
partakers   of    his   gifts   of  grace.       His  gifts   of 
providence  can  be  bestowed  upon  us  no  matter 
i  at  what  distance  we  live  from  him.      Not  so  his 

I  gifts  of  grace.     By  reason  of  their   very   nature 

he  cannot  give  them,  except  through  the  medium 
of  the  soul's  acquaintance  with  himself.  When 
this  man  came  back  to  thank  Jesus  for  healing, 
Jesus'  language  implies  that  he  received  the 
greater  boon  of  salvation  through  faith.  The 
other  nine  missed  that.  We  have  no  account 
that  they  ever  sought  Jesus'  acquaintance.     Their 


if 


40  DROPS    FROM    A 

healing  was  a  life  long-  blessing,  and  yet  in  them 
it  failed  of  its  highest  purpose,  in  that  it  led 
them  not  to  the  Healer. 

Blessed  are  they  who  hear  in  every  gift  of 
God's  providence,  a  voice  saying,  ''Come  unto 
Me,"  and  who  make  his  gifts,  through  gratitiide, 
an  angel  ladder  to  the  infinite  heart  of  the  Giver. 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


41 


t 


TWO  MEN  SAYING  THEIR  PRAYERS. 

And  he  spake  this  parable  unto  certain  which  trusted 
in  themselves  that  thej^  were  righteous,  and  despised 
others. 

Two  men  went  up  into  the  temple  to  pray  ;  the  one 
a  Pharisee,  and  the  other  a  publican. 

The  Pharisee  stood  and  prayed  thus  with  himself, 
God,  I  thank  thee,  that  I  am  not  as  other  men  are' 
extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers,  or  even  as  this  publican.' 

1  fast  twice  in  the  week,  I  give  tithes  of  all  that  I 
possess. 

And  the  publican,  standing  afar  off,  would  not  lift 
up  so  much  as  his  eyes  unto  heaven,  but  smote  upon  his 
breast,  saying,  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner. 

I  tell  you,  this  man  went  down  to  his  house  justified 
V  rather  than  the  other  :  for  every  one  that  exalteth  him- 

I  self  shall  be   abased  ;    and  he   that  humbleth   himself 

I  shall  be  exalted.— Luke  18  :  9-14. 

TESUS  knew  what  was    in    man.       Just   hear 
I  him  describe  two  men  at  prayer.     The  one 

a  Pharisee,  the  other  a  publican.  One  from  the 
upper  crust  of  society,  the  other  from  the  lower. 
The  Pharisee  prayed  thus  :  "God,  I  thank  thee, 
that   I   am   not  as  other  men   are,  extortioners, 


■1 


1$ 


42  DROPS     FROM     A 

unjust,  adulterers,  or  even  as  this  publican.     I 
I  fast  twice  in  the  week,  I  give  tithes  of  all  that  I 

possess."  Do  you  call  that  praying  ?  Bragging, 
rather.  Yet  with  awful  sarcasm  Jesus  says, 
"  He  prayed  thus."  It  was  a  man  who  was 
getting  along  first  rate  without  God,  wdio  stepped 
into  the  temple,  in  a  complimentary  way,  to  tell 
Ood  how  well  he  was  getting  along.  It  lacked 
every  element  of  prayer.  Look,  now,  at  this 
publican.  Far  out  toward  the  outer  cotirt,  wuth 
downcast  eyes,  he  .smites  upon  his  breast,  and 
cries,  "God  be   merciful  to  me  a   sinner." 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  word  translated 
i:;  merciful,  is,  really,  mercy-seated.     His  face  was 

turned    toward   the   Holy  ()f  Holies.     He  knew 

that  behind  the  veil  was  the  mercy  seat,  sprinkled 

,1  with   blood,  where  God    had   promised   to  meet 

1 1  with  his   people,  and  forgive  them  through  the 

I  I  blood  of  atonement.       The  whole  doctrine  of  the 

'  i;  cross  is  crystallized  into  the  brief  prayer  of  this 

humble  penitent. 

There  are  three  elements  in  his  prayer  which 


f 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  43 

are  conspicuous  by  their  absence  in  the  prayer 
of  the  Pharisee.  First,  he  confessed  that  he 
was  a  needy  sinner.  Only  a  hungry  man  ap- 
preciates the  gift  of  food  ;  only  a  thirsty 
man  appreciates  water  ;  only  a  sick  man  ap- 
preciates a  physician  ;  only  a  drowning  man 
appreciates  a  life-line  ;  only  a  man  who  feels 
that  he  is  a  sinner  appreciates  the  mercy  of  God. 
It  was  a  heart  cry  of  need. 

In  the  second  place,  the  prayer  was  a  confession 
that  God  was  just,  and  that  sin  deserved 
punishment.  If  you  think  we  are  reading  more 
into  the  passage  than  there  is  in  it,  read  it  with 
the  word  "  mercy-seated "  in  the  place  of  the 
word  **  merciful,"  and  reflect  a  little  on  what  a 
Jew  understood  by  the  word  mercy-seated. 
No  priest  ever  entered  that  awful  place 
without  blood.  There  was  always  that  which 
reminded  him  that  the  "Wages  of  sin  is  death." 
Any  gospel  which  presents  God  as  overlooking 
sin,  or  treating  it  lightly,  is  a  libel  on  his 
character,    and   a   perversion    of  the    gospel    of 


I  44  DROPS    FROM    A 


*  Christ.       The   God   whom   the   gospel   reveals, 

must  punish  sin,  even  though  his  own  Son  be 
made  the  culprit.  This  penitent  understood  this 
much  of  tlie  divine  character.  Hence,  his  cry- 
implied  that  he  knew  what  a  blood  sprinkled 
mercy  seat  meant. 

This   element    is    entirely    wanting    in    the 

prayer  of  the  Pharisee.     With  no  sense  of  sin, 

he  could  have  no  sense  of  how   God  regarded 

':  sin.       His   thoughts    seem    to   have    been,  that, 

]  while   not  perhaps  absolutely  perfect,  he  was  so 

1^  much  better  than  others,  that  God  must  needs 

I 

be  a  little  proud  of  him,  and  he  was  more  than 

a  little   proud   of   himself.  ^  One    of  the   fathers 
;.  quaintly  says,  "There  are  four  kinds  of  pride: 

face    pride,    race   pride,    place  pride  and   grace 
i,  pride;   and  the  worst  of  these  is  grace  pride." 

f  There  is  not  much  hope  for  the  man  who  can  so 

mingle   the    divine   with   the   devilish   as  to  be 

proud  of  his  piety. 

We  look  again  at  the  publican.       There  was 

a  third  thing  in  his  prayer.       A  confession,  not 


'*■ 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


45 


only  that  he  wa.s  a  sinner,  and  not  only  that  God 
was  just,  and  therefore  sin  deserved  punishment, 
but  also  that  God  was  merciful,  and  hence  could, 
would,  and  did  accept  a  substitute,  and  forgive 
the  sinner.  This,  too,  of  course,  is  wanting  in 
the  Pharisee's  prayer.  A  man  with  no  sense  of 
the  claims  of  divine  justice,  how  could  he  under- 
stand this  ?  Mercy  to  him  was  a  mere  name.  It 
takes  a  broken  heart  to  receive  mercy  through  a 
crucified  Saviour. 

Mark  now  the  conclusion.  The  Lord  points 
to  the  publican,  and  says,  "  I  tell  you,  this  man 
went  down  to  his  house  justified,  rather  than  the 
other."  These  two,  in  their  attitude  toward  God, 
represent  two  great  classes  of  mankind.  There 
are  but  two  ways  of  appearing  before  him  ; 
either  to  stand  on  your  merit  and  make  the  most 
of  it,  or  acknowledQ:e  vourself  a  sinner,  and 
standing  on  the  merits  of  another,  ask  for  mercy 
through  him.       Take  your  choice.      I'll  tell  you 

mine  : 

"  On  Christ  the  solid  rock  I  stand, 
All  other  ground  is  sinking  sand." 


f 


4^  DROPS     FROM     A 


1    I 
i  - 


THE  CURSE  OF  LAZINESS. 

Curse  ye  Meroz,  said  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  curse  ye 
bitterly  the  inhabitants  thereof  ;  because  they  came  not 
to  the  help  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty.— Judges  5:  23. 

^Y'E  sometimes  find  a  beautiful  pearl  in  a  very 
roug-h  looking  oyster.     One  of  the  highest 
I  privileges  of  the  sons  of  God  is  hinted  at  in  this 

I  dreadful  anathema. 

:,  An    enemy   had   invaded  Israel.     Under  the 

I  leadership  of  Deborah  they  went  out  to  defend 

I  their   land.     The    Lord    was   with    them.      The 

battle  was  more  his  than  theirs;  it  was  not 
Israel  against  Sisera,  but  God  against  Sisera. 
No  w^onder  ''The  stars  in  their  courses  fought 
against  him."  The  victory  was  glorious,  but 
one  village  of  Israelites,  Aleroz,  declined  to  turn 
out  for  the  fight.  It  is  said  Meroz  occupied  a 
strategic  point  near  a  pass  where  they  could  have 
prevented  the  enemies'  flight.  Be  that  as  it  may, 
Avhile  they  were  willing  to  enjoy  the  results  of 


i: 


I 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  47 

the  victory,  in  exemption  from  a  foreign  rule, 
they  excused  themselves  from  coming  to  the  help 
of  the  Lord.  After  the  battle  the  inspired  song 
of  praise  wliich  Deborah  sang  to  Jehovali,  turns 
aside  for  a  moment  from  its  lofty  strain,  to  curse 
bitterly,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  the  inhabitants 
of  Meroz. 

We  note  the  following  lessons.  First,  it  is 
the  privilege  of  believers  to  help  God.  When 
he  manifested  himself  in  creation  he  wrought 
alone.  He  had  neither  counselor  nor  helper, 
and  needed  none.  In  redemption  too,  though 
Joseph,  Jesus'  foster  father,  Mary  and  oth- 
ers, were  his  helpers  in  one  sense  ;  though 
Judas  and  Annas  and  Caiaphas  and  Herod  and 
Pilate  and  Satan  were  his  helpers  in  another 
sense,  though  they  knew  it  not;  yet  in  the 
deepest  sense  Jesus  could  say,  "I  have  trodden 
the  wine  press  alone,  and  of  the  people  there 
was  none  with  me."  But  redemption  accom- 
plished ;  Jesus  seated  at  the  Father's  right  hand ; 
the  Spirit  sent  forth ;    the  new  age  ushered  in  ;  it 


r 


1^ 


48  DROPS    FROM    A 

has  pleased  God,  for  the  spreading  of  the  gospel 
over  the  world,  to  link  his  almightiness  with 
man's  littleness.  "We  are  laborers  together 
with  God." 

As  the  water  in  the  miP  dam  shows  its 
power  where  it  pours  its  tide  through  the 
narrow  race ;  as  the  steam  in  the  boiler  shows  its 
power  where  it  forces  itself  through  the  narrow 
valve ;  so  God  purposes  to  show  his  power  in  this 
world,  through  the  narrow  channel  of  human 
life. 

O,  Soul!  Canst  thou  say  that  this  has  no 
charm  for  thee  ?  Here  is  a  plan  laid  before  the 
world  was,  which  "The  angels  desire  to  look 
into;"  which  the  prophets  scanned  eagerly  from 
afar  through  faith's  telescope;  into  which  God 
has  put  the  blood  of  his  son.  A  plan  which 
seems  indeed  God's  master-piece ;  and,  behold,  a 
place  is  left  in  it  for  you.  Yes,  you  are  called 
into  cooperation  with  Christ  to  make  history, 
immortal  history ;  to  do  that  which  will  stand 
beside  and  be  a  part  of  his  doing,  in  that  day  that 


'  li 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  49 

is  coming.  Shall  earth's  toys  blind  your  eyes  to 
the  heavenly  vision  ?  Or  will  you  rise  as  the 
living  among  the  dead  and  say,  "Oh  God,  let  me 
have  some  small  share  in  thy  work  ?" 

In  the  second  place,  we  see  that  sins  of 
omission  are  worse  than  sins  of  commission.  It 
is  a  sin  of  omission  simply,  that  is  sending 
millions  to  perdition.  The  reason  that  the 
sinner  is  on  the  down  grade  instead  of  the 
upward  pathway  is  not  on  account  of  anything 
that  he  has  done,  but  on  account  of  something 
he  has  left  undone,  that  is,  because  he  has  neg- 
lected to  believe  on  Jesus  Christ. 

Now  as  truly  as  the  sin  of  the  world  which 
rises  far  above  all  other  sins,  is  a  sin  of  omission, 
so  truly  the  worst  charge  that  can  be  laid  at  the 
door  of  the  church  of  God,  is  not  the  many  things 
its  members  do  which  they  ought  not,  but  the 
fact  that  so  many  of  them  neglect  to  help  God. 
Jesus'  errands  must  go  undone  because  willing 
feet  are  not  found.  His  messages  must  go  unsaid 
because  his  people's  tongues  are  busy  with  other 


so 


DROPS     FROM     A 


,. 


!■ 
h 

1  ' 


things.     They   "Come  not  to   the  help   of  the 
Lord."     True,  he  is  ahnig-hty  and  needs  nothing 
from  us ;  yet,  having  chosen  to  link  us  with  himself 
in  his  work,  he  is  straitened  through  our  indolence. 
Once  more,  Jesus  will  be  victorious  whether 
we  help  him  or  not.     "Every  knee  shall  bow." 
His  sceptre  will  be  undivided.     It  will,  however, 
make    a    great    difference   to    us    in    that    day 
whether  we  help  him  or  not.     It  is  one  thing  to 
be  saved,  and  another  to  be  approved  as  a  work- 
man.    Many   will  be  saved  with  small  reward. 
vSome  will    be  saved  whose  rewards  will   make 
them  shine  as  the  stars  of  God  forever.     Those 
who  enter  most  fully  into  partnership  with  Jesus 
here,  will  share  most  gloriously  the  partnership 
w4th  Jesus  there. 


n 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  5 1 


JESUS'  WELCOME  TO  A  NEW  DISCIPLE. 

And  when  Jesus  beheld  him,  he  said,  Then  art  Simon 
the  son  of  Jona  :  thou  shalt  be  called  Cephas,  which  is 
by  interpretation,  A  stone. — John  i  :  42. 

TT  was  in  the  begining-  of  our  Lord's  ministry. 
He  had  returned  from  the  wilderness  of 
temptation  and  commeneed  to  preaeh.  Two 
men,  disciples  of  John  the  Baptist,  hearing  their 
teacher  speak  of  him  as  the  "Lamb  of  God," 
left  John  and  followed  him.  They  were  fisher- 
men from  Galilee ;  one  was  Andrew,  the  other 
John  the  beloved.  Andrew  sought  his  own 
brother  Simon  and  brought  him  to  Jesus. 
These  words  were  his  welcome  :  '  *  Thou  art 
Simon  ;  thou  shalt  be  called  Cephas  or  Peter, — 
that  is,  a  rock."  A  little  study  of  these  words 
shows  us  that  into  them  Jesus  condensed  all 
Peter's  future  history.  It  is  claimed  that  the 
word   Simon  means  "Weakness,"  or   "Son  of 


'Ifl' 


\ 


i  if 


*  i 


i  •!, 


52  DROPS     FROM    A  j 

weakness."     What  then  did  Jesus  say?      "Thou 
art  a  son  of  weakness ;    thou  shalt  be  a  rock." 

What  a  welcome.     It   implies   at   least,  that 
when  Jesus  received  him  he  knew  what  Peter 
I  was.      Nothing  could  ever  occur  in  his  history 

that  would  surprise  the  Master.  Would  Peter 
undertake  to  walk  on  the  water  and  then  lose  faith 
in  a  moment?     Would  he  draw  his  sword  in  de-  j 

,  fence  of  his  Lord  and  the  same  night  thrice  deny  •  j 

\  ^ii^  ?     Jesus  knew  it  all  when   he  first  received  ^ 

^  him  into  the  band  of   disciples.     What  wealth 

'  of  comfort  lies  here.     Our  faults  often  astonish  ^ 

;^  us,  and  we  say,    "How   could    I?"     Often   dis- 

courage us,  and  we   are   ready  to   say,    "  I'll  not  I 

try  again."     But  not  so  with  him.     The  day  he 
^  j  first  stretched  out  his  pierced  hand  and  welcomed 

us  to  himself,  he  knew  every  slip  we'd  ever  make ; 
he  undertook  with  a  perfect  understanding  of  all 
I  t^^^  difficulties  in  us.     It  is  written:    "  He  shall 

not  fail,  nor  be  discouraged." 

But  this  welcome  implies  also  that  he  saw  not 
only  Peter's  present  character,  but  Peter's  possi- 


A 


1 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  53 

bilities  through  his  grace.  Your  name  will  not 
always  be  Simon.  You  will  become  a  rock. 
Probably  Peter  was  far  from  understanding  at 
the  time  all  that  this  meant.  The  time  would 
come  when  his  weakness  would  be  strength,  and 
he  would  be  the  opposite  of  what  his  former  self 
had  been. 

Jesus  sees  infinite  possibilities  for  every 
soul.  The  keen  eye-vsight  of  divine  love 
looks  beneath  the  mistakes  and  infirmities  of  our 
lame  humanity  and  sees  possibilities,  through 
his  grace,  for  each  one  of  us,  that  would  make 
our  eyes  sparkle  with  heavenly  hope,  could  we 
see  them.  *'It  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we 
shall  be,"  that  is,  to  us.  It  is  all  plain  enough  to 
him.  The  nearer  we  come  to  the  mind  of  Christ 
the  larger  faith  we  will  have  in  the  possibilities 
for  the  worst  of  men.  Our  way  is  to  give 
a  soul  one  trial,  perhaps  two,  and  then  say, 
"  No  use,  he's  a  failure;  it  is  a  waste  of  time." 
Jesus  would  begin  the  thousandth  time  as  will- 
ingly as  the  first. 


A 


II 


54  DROrS    FROM    A 


i  (  ^^^  range  of   this   thought,  concerning   the 

,  possibilities  for  the  believer,  reaches  away  beyond 

■  ^  this  world.     The  precious  blood  of  Heaven's  first 

I ;  ^^^^  w^s  not  poured  out  for  you  and  me,  without 

j '  ^  purpose  worthy  of  God  himself.     Have  faith  i 

h  ^^    w^^t  Christ  sees  for  thee  above  what  thou  1 

seest  for  thyself.  | 

But  this  welcome  implied  not  only  that  the  | 

Lord  saw  what  he  was  and  what  he  would  be  f 
but  also  that  the  Lord  himself  undertook  the  work 

of  Peter's  transformation.     O,  glorious  thought !  1 

not  my  poor  strength,  but  -  God  that  worketh  in  ' 

me,  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure,"  shall  ' 
change  me  from  what  I  am,  to  what  he  wills  for 

me.  ; 

!  Little  did  Peter  know  the  greatness  of  the 

task    Jesus  undertook   that    day;  little  did  we, 
when  he  welcomed  us,  nor  do  we  now;    but  he 

'  knows.      He  measures  it  all.      He  undertakes, 

and    what    ''He    has    promised,  he    is   able  to 
perform."     This  prophesy  was  realized  in  Peter 
See  him  on  the  day  of  Pentecost  surrounded  by 


-4 
I 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN,  55 

a  throng,  some  of  whom  had  voted  for  the  death 
of  Christ.  Hear  him  say,  "  Whom  ye  have 
taken  and  with  wicked  hands  have  crucified  and 
slain."  He  stands  like  a  rock  amid  surging 
waves.  His  union  with  the  Living  Rock  has 
made  him  a  rock.  The  stability  of  Christ's  own 
character  imparted,  has  changed  Simon  to  Peter, 
and  the  prophecy  of  Jesus'  welcome  has  been 
fulfilled. 


ii 


1-'  ; 


5  6  DROPS    FROM    A 


THE  TEMPTATION  OF  JESUS. 

Then  was  Jesus  led  up  of  the  Spirit  into  the  wilderness 
to  be  tempted  of  the  devil. —Matthew  4:1. 

^S  long-  as  man  is  subject  to  temptation, 
the  temptation  of  Jesus  will  posess  an 
undying  interest.  Somewhere  in  the  wilderness 
of  Judea  is  the  battle  ground  where  one  of  the 
mightiest  combats  of  time  was  fought.  We 
speak  of  the  issues  that  hung  upon  a  Marathon, 
a  Waterloo,  or  a  Gettysburg;  but  what  were  the  , 

issues  at  stake  when  the  Prince  of  Light  and  the 
prince  of  darkness  met  on  the  soil  of  a  contested  ■ 

planet?  | 

Let  us  go  back.     What  preparation  had  Jesus  ' 

for  this  teinptation?  We  ask  this  because,  if  by 
virtue  of  his  Godhood  he  simply  put  his  foot  on 
Satan's  neck,  then  theie  is  little  to  encourage  us. 
We  can't  do  that.  But  if,  as  is  the  case,  he 
met  the  tempter  as  a  man,  with  the  same  kind 
of  furnishing  which  we  have,   then  our   hearts 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  57 

rise  high  with  hope,  and  we  say,  "  By  his  grace 
we'll  conquer  too." 

His  preparation  was  twofold ;    he   was  filled 
with  the  word ;   he  was  anointed  by  the  Spirit. 
His    Father's  Word    had  been  his  delight,    his 
study,  his  meditation,  his  companion  from  child- 
hood.    He  was  filled  with  it.      He   thought  in 
the  language  of  the  Old  Testament.      Whatever 
men  in  pride  of  scholarship  may  think  of  that 
Book,  it  was  the  Saviour's  daily  food.     At  thirty 
he  was  baptized ;    coming  forth  from  the  water, 
heaven  was   opened;   from   the   throne  came  a 
form  of  snowy  whiteness  and  rested  on  his  head. 
And  now  with  an  indwelling  word,  kindled  into 
flame  by  the  anointing  Spirit,  he  went  out  into 
the  wilderness  to  meet  the  foe.      The  truth  of 
God  in  his  heart  left  no  room  for  Satan's  lie. 
The  vSpirit  made  the  things  eternal  so  real,  that 
the  things  temporal  which  Satan  offered  could 
not  sway  the  soul. 

What   were    the   temptations  ?      Three,    and 
yet,  only  one.     The  first,  was  to  use  his  power 


if  I 


! 


I 
I 

f 


58  DROPS    FROM    A 


miraculously  to  satisfy  his  hunger;   the  second, 
was  to  leap   from  the  pinnacle   of   the   temple, 
presuming  upon  the  Father's  faithfulness  to  save 
him,  in  order  that  he  might  astonish  the  people, 
and  compel  faith  in  himself;   the  third,  that  he 
siiould  compromise  with  Satan,  and  thus  obtain 
the  kingdoms  of  this  world,  which  were  already 
his    by   right.      These   three   are   one:   that   he 
would  take  himself  out  of  the  care  of  his  Father, 
and  take  a  short  cut  toward  the  object  sought' 
If,  tli^s  g-^ining  an  advantage  by  doing  wron^ 

This  is  really  the  one  temptation  on  which 
Satan  has  been  ringing  the  changes  ceaselessly 
through  all  time.  You  can  gain  an  advantage  by 
doing  wrong.  Now  it  is  money  ;  now  it  is  fame ; 
now  it  is  pleasure;  now  it  is  something  else.  There 
is^a  shorter  road  to  happiness  than  obedience. 
With  Jesus  we  answer,  "No."  "While  God 
lives  and  rules,  there  never  can  be  a  time  or 
place  or  circumstance  in  which  it  will  pay  to  do 


wroncr." 


Note  now  how  he   vanquished  the  tempter. 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  59 

The  resources   of  the  universe  were  at  his  dis- 
posal.    Out  of  them  all  what  did  he  use?     Three 
verses  from  the  book  of   Deuteronomy:    '^t  is 
written."      -It   is   written."      -It   is^written." 
Tlie  Word  is  the  sword  of  the  Spirit.     He  knew 
it,  he  drew  it,  he  used  it,  he  conquered  with  it. 
If  thou  wouldst  be  more  than  a  conqueror  go 
and  do  likewise.     Satan  fears  not  man's  clever 
philosophy,  but  trembles  before  the  unsheathed 
blade  of  God's  truth.      -  The  devil  leaveth  him, 
and    behold    angels   came  and   ministered   unto 
him."     Sweet  hour  of  rest  after  fierce  hour  of 
conflict.     Here  are  -Footprints  on  the  sands  of 
time."     Let  us  follow,  leaning  hard  on  him  who 
made  them,  until  our  pathway  leads  through  the 
gates  of  pearl. 


i\i 


I 
1 1 


^^  DROPS    FROM    A 


THE    NATURE    OF    TRUE    RELIGIOxN. 

I  am  come  that  they  might  have  life. 
John  lo:  lo. 

f  HE  errand  of  Christ  to  this  world  is  stated 

m  a  variety  of  waj-s.      It  is  said  that  he 

came.  "To  do  the  Father's  ^-ill;"  -To  bear  wit- 

"ess  tmto  the  trtuh  ; "    "To  destroy  the  works  of 

the  devil ; "  "  To  take  away  our  sins ; "  "  To  save 

sinners:"  but,  perhaps,  no  statement  of  it  comes 

so  near  the  heart  of  the  trosnel  a,  t1i,„  .   i,„ 

'"=  t»ospti  asijiis:  he  came 

i  hat  we  might  have  life. " 

Three   things   at   least   are   implied    in    this 
statement. 

First,  it  indicates  the  nature  of  true  religion  • 
what  is  it.=  A  creed?  No,  though  every  re- 
^gious  person  has  a  creed.  A  course  of  conduct  > 
Ao  though  the  truly  religious  man  is  .scrupuK 
onsly  careful  about  his  conduct.  Religion,  in  its 
mmost   essence,  is   something  behind,  and   far 


1 

I 

I 


LIVING    KOUXTAIN-.  g, 

deeper  than  either  creed  or  conduct :   it  is  the 
life  of  Christ  in  man.     A  ne«-  life  is  the  hidden 
source  of  all  outward  change  that  takes  place  at 
conversion:  we  are  religious,  Justin  proportion  as 
the  life  of  the  risen  Christ  is  permeating,  inter- 
penetrating  and  controlling  our  lives.      We  hear 
it  said  that  people  should  live   their  religion  •  as 
a  matter  of  fact  they  do :  those  who  do  not  live 
It  do  not  possess  it :  the  living  of  it  is  the  thing 
Itself.     Be  not  deceived ;  a  glorified  Christ  can- 
not be  hidden  away,  unseen,  unheard,  in  some 
one  apartment  of  your  being,  while  you  live  a 
seWsh  worldly  life.      The  difference  between  a 
mere  moralist  and  a  Christian,  is  the  difference 
between  a  tombstone  and  a  tree :  the  former  may 
be  shapely  and  fair,  but  the  latter  has  a  divine 
secret  hidden  in  its  every  fiber,  from  lowest  root 
to  topmost  leaf,  which  shows  itself  in  -.owth  and 
fruitfulness.     Religion,  then,  is  life. 

In  the  second  place,  this  statement  indicates 
the  attitu.Ie  of  Christ  toward  us:-.'!  am  come 
that  ye  might  have ; "  a  giver  with  a  gift.     The 


^^  DROPS    FROM     A 

/  S:ospel  is  too  often  presented  as  Christ  demand- 

^l  ''^^  somethinori  the  fact  is,  the  voice  of  inspira- 

tion is  ever  ringing  the  changes  on  the  word : 
gift,  give,  gave,  given,  giver.  Christ's  first 
approach  to  the  soul  is  not  a  demand,  but  an 
offer.  Hear  him  at  the  well  of  Samaria:  -If 
thou  knewest  the  gift  of  God,  and  who  it  is  that 
saithtothee.  Give  me  to  drink;  thou  wouldest 
have  asked  of  him,  and  he  would  have  given 
thee  living  water. "  It  is  a  king  stooping  in  holy 
ji  ,  love,  to  give  pardon  and  eternal  life  to  a  rebel, 

and  earnestly  beseeching  him  to  receive  it. 
Ij  In  the  third  place,   we  have  here  indicated, 

what  ought   to   be    the    attitude    of   every    soul 
toward  Christ :   that  of  a  willing  receiver.      As 
}■  ^^^  palsied  man  received  strength  ;    as  the  leper 

^  received    cleansing;    as  the  blind  man  received 

[  ^  "^^^^'  ^^^  the  deaf  hearing ;  as  the  dead  Lazarus 

f  received  life  from  him;  even  so  it  is  given  us  to 

receive  Christ ;  and  in  him  eternal  life.  -But 
as  many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave  he  power 
to  become    the  sons  of    God;"  that  is,  to  them 


f 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


63 


gave  he  the  life  of  God  that  made  them  sons  of 
God.  Shall  our  hearts  say,  -  O,  heaven  sent 
king !  we  come  to  thee ;  we  receive  thy  gift ;  and, 
henceforth,  thou  alone  shalt  be  our  life,  our  all?" 


i 


!i] 


(tl 


64 


rjROI'S    FROM    A 


41 


THE  OBJECT  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

Now  the  end  of  the  commandment  is  charity  out  of 
a  pure  heart,  and  of  a  good  conscience,  and  of  ?Lh 
unteigned.-ist  Timothy  i:  5.  " 

-pHE  ^vord  end,  in  this  text,  means  aim.  The 
word  commandment,  as  the  context  shows 
means  simply  the  gospel.  The  statement  theti 
IS,  "The  aim  of  the  gospel  is  love,  out  of  a  pure 
heart  and  of  a  gciod  conscience  and  of  faith  un- 
feigned." 

It  is  necessary,  not  only  to  understand  the 
various  truths  of  God's  word,  but  also  their  re- 
lation  to  each  other.     Hence,  here  and  there,  the 
writers   pause;    and,    placing  one  end    of    the 
compass  on  some  great  central  truth,  swing  the 
other   end   round   the   whole  circle  of  truth  to 
show  Its  relation   to   all.      This   is   done   here 
Mark  the  wide  sweep  of  the  thought.-The  aim 
of  the  gospel  is  to  awaken  love  in  us ;   and  in 
order  to  do  this,  three  conditions  are  necessary 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


65 


a  pure  heart,  a  good  conscience,   and  faith  un- 
feig-ned. 

Concerning  the  first  statement :  Christ's  object 
in  coming  to  this  world,  was  to  bring  us  back  to 
that  likeness  to  God  which  was  lost  in  the  fall. 
Now,   God    is   love;    Christ   is   the    -  Image \f 
God";  hence,  He  is  love.     In  order  to  make   us 
like  God  we  too  must  learn   to  love :   hence  the 
statement  that  -  The  aim  of  the  gospel  is  love," 
is  but  :.jother  way  of  saying,  that  the  aim  of  the 
gospel  is  to  make  us  like  God.      His  method  is 
divinely  simple  :  it  is  to  show  such  overwhelming 
love  to  us,  that  our  hearts  shall  be  kindled  into  a 
blaze  of  love  by  his  love.    This  is  the  first  and 
greatest  meaning  of  the  cross  of  Calvary.     ' '  God 
commendeth  his  love  toward  us,   in  that,   while 
we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us."      The 
result  is,  in  the  case  of  those  who  yield  to  the 
power  of  his  love,   that   -We  love  because  he 
first  loved  us." 

A  burning  glass  collects   the   sun's   rays   in 
focus  on  a    point,   with    great    brightness    and 


^^  r)ROPS    FROM     A 


intense  heat.      The  cross  „f  Jesus  is  heavens 
burning  o.,,,ss,  coHecting  the  rays  of  everlasting 
love,  and  focusing  them  upon  the  sinner's  heart 
Jesus  way  of  conquering  his  enemies,  is  by  con- 
strammg    them    to    oecome    his    friends      The 
tnumphs   of    the    gospel    are    heart    conquests 
hroi,gh  love.     But  what  if  this  manifestation  of 
love  fad  on  a. soul  =     We  can  only  answer,   God 
has  done  his  best,  and  most,  and  mightiest  *        ^ 

th.t'?rr"""'"""""""''°"-^-  I"-d-      I 

hat  God  s  love  to  us  produce  the  desired  effect  I 

three  conditions  are  necessary.  '  ? 

First,    "A  pure    heart."      But    how  shall    I  ' 

obta,napureheart.^  Con.scious,  as  I  am,  that 
life  s  stream  was,  long  ago,  poisoned  at  the  fount- 
am;  that  ..The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all 
things,  and  desperately  wicked;-  can  I  puHfv 
"■nyscif?  Xo  more  than  the  '•  Ethiopian  c J 
|-  i.-'nge  hrs  skin,  or  the  leopard  his  .spots  " 
0-,  then'  The-  is  but  one  way  appointed, 
n  the  gospel  message  is  the  promise,  that,  if  ^ 

I  beheve,  Jesus  will  enter,  take  possession  of  my 


1 

I 

f 

I 


I  LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  g- 

life,  and  purify  my  heart  by  his  own  infinite 
punty.  ..Without  holiness  no  «an  shall  see 
the  Lord; "-without  an  indwelling  Christ  there 
IS  no  holiness.  Jesus  present  and  active,  is  the 
purity  of  the  believer.  •  •  Swing  the  heart's  door 
widely  open;  Bid  Him  enter."  He  will  so 
cleanse  the  heart  that  it  will  become  a  reflector 
tor  the  love  of  God  to  us. 

Second,  a  good  conscience.-But  how  shall  I 
obtain  this?     My  conscience  is  laden  with  the 
wrong  that  I  have  done.      Look  again  at  Jesus. 
Looking   at  the  wrong  I  have  done,   I  have  a 
guilty  conscience  :  looking  at  the  satisfaction  and 
perfect  payment  which  he  made  for  my  sins    I 
have  a  conscience  purged  with  precious  blood 
and    as   clear    of   guilt  before  high  heaven  as 
though  I  had  never  sinned  at  all.     It  seems  too 
much  to  be  true,  but  God  hath  said  it !      With   a 
guilty  conscience  I  can  never  love  God  or  man 
but   with  a  conscience  once  guilty,  now  clear,' 
through  his  kindness  in  bearing  my  guilt,  I  can 
love  both  God  and  man. 


I.;; 


*  DROPS    FROM    A 


Faith   unfeigned,-  is  the  third  condition. 
Th,s  means,  honestly  believing  that  what  God 
says  IS  true;  th.nt  he  loves  me,   sinful  thou<.h   I 
am ;  that  he  sent  Christ  to  provide  perfect  s^Clva- 
.on  for  me ;  that  Jesus  bore  my  sins,  therefore  I 
do  not  bear  them ;  that  he  rose  again,  and  is  now 
represent„.g  me  before  the  throne;   and  that  in 
h.m  I  have  now  eternal  life.      This  is  faith  un- 
fegned.     Grant  these  three  conditions,   and,   as 
the  hgh   of  the  sun  kmdles  the  mountain  gla  ier 
or  placKl  lake  into  a  blaze  of  reflected  glory,  so 
does  the  light  of  his  love  Icindle  the  hean  into  an 
undymg  flame  of  love,  so  like  his  own,  that  we 
are  called  the  sons  of  God,  and  the  object  of  th 
gospel  IS  attained. 


i 


I 


LIVING    FOUXTAIN. 


69 


A  RESTING  PLACE. 


ITisagreatthingtohearJes«.s.sny..IwiIl" 
riiere  is  always  some  doubt  about  a  mere 

huma„..r.,n;.butbehi,Klthis..I.,„,"  e 
the  resources  and  the  faithfulness  of  one  who  is 
The  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever  - 
These  words  are  divine  Love's  reply  to  the  great 
heart  cry  of  a  weary  world.  ^ 

What  a  scene  of  unrest  this  is.     One  genera 

t>on  follows  another  acro,ss  the  sea  of  life  as~" 
;-eds  wave.      It  is  a  .sea  swept  by  .storms  o 
''mb,t.on,  ten,pests  of  passion,  and  surges  of  dis 
content.     Earth  has  no  resting  place.      Thers 
no t.  m  the  whole  reahn  that  comes  within  our 
■'-•ngc,  a  place  where  a  tired  spirit  can  fold  its 

-n.s  ,n  .s.afety,  .save  where  John  u.sed  to  lay  ,2 
--yhead.     Je.sus.say.s,..I.i,.,K.,.,„,,L,: 

The  promise  rs  as  definite  as  it  is  sweet.     Wesley 


hi  f 

T1 


70 


DROPS    FROM    A 


ij 


was  once  sitting;  by  an  open  window,  and  saw  a 
l.ttle  bird  fiercely  pursued  by  a  hawk.     It  darted 
here  and  tliere,   now  up,   now  down.      But  the 
hawk  was  always  behind  it.     Suddenly  it  darted 
"■through  the  window,  and  into  the  bosom  of 
Wesley's  cloak.     He  closed  the  window  until  the 
hawk  flew  away.     \Vhen  all  was  safe  he  opened 
the    window,   freed  the  little  flatterer,   took  up 
his  pen,  and  wrote, 

"Jesus  lover  of  my  soul. 
Let  me  to  Th)- bosom  fly." 

Rest  from  what?      There  are  three  burdens 
that    make  life   unbearable,   and    make    people 

^■"7  "'^   '^'^'■°-  "-^"-  time.      These  three  are 
guilt,  sin,  and  care. 

Jesus  gives  rest  from  guilt.  I  have  seen  a 
man  with  a  strange,  frigluened  look  in  his  eyes' 
He  seemed  uncomfortable  and  appl.ehensi^•e 
everywhere.  I  learned  the  reason :  he  was  a 
criminal:  he  had  .served  time:  he  knew  not  the 
moment  the  iron  hand  of  the  law  might  be  laid 
ou    him   again   for  other  crimes  which  he  had 


'I 


^ 


/' 


'j 

s 


'S 


;( 
^ 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN-. 

committed.     An  uiirR^t  i;i-„  ^^  ■    ■ 

a  bosom       M  "  '"  ''''"''"  m«-i"y 

a  bo.som.      Many  a  person,  gay  enough  in  com 

any.  .s  a  httle  afraid  to  go  to  sleep  af  night     "; 
>s  because  of  the  dreadful  fear  that  the  p^st  wi 

meet  him  somewhere  in  the  future      Jesus  tal 
this  all  away       Thp  ri,  ■  *•     .  J^sus  takes 

rise  tn        T  •Christian's  past  can  never 

rise  to  confront  him       Hi,.    ,•„  i 
far   IS  <nuu        1  Judgment   day,    so 

*-  a  gu  It  and  punishment  are  concerned,  is 
past  a  ready.  His  debt  is  paid.  He  can  look  to 
*e  future  without  a  fear.     He  has  rest 

^"ains,  sin  s  pollution,  sin's  enslavement       Hu 
-nity's   heart  cries,  ..O,  that  .some  one  woul" 

e::;:"\^'-"'"r'^-"^^-'-"y  worst 

pCof  .self"  ""''  '''  ''  "''"-^  '""^^"^  «- 

^^"Hd.  It  :s  operated  in  this  way  Its 
five  thou,sand  air  tight  compartments  bcin.  fi„cd 
with  water,  it  sinks-      a  t  '^ 

'      "n)^^  —A  huge  warship  is  floated 

".-then,  one  after  another,  the  compartments 

-  pumped  out  and    All.,  .,,,  ,,./^,.^^,^:^J 


;2 


DROPS    FROM    A 


the  monster  rises,  till  the  shi^D  is  lifted  high  and 
dry. 

A  soul  sunk  in  sin  begins  to  believe: — ChrivSt 
enters; — a  divine  nature  is  imparted.  Thinic 
you  that  a  divine  nature  can  be  chained  down  in 
sin?  The  power  within  is  as  gentle  as  the  wings 
of  the  heavenly  dove ;  but  the  man  is  lifted  out 
of  self  by  the  buoyancy  of  eternal  life  and  rests 
in  Christ. 

Jesus  gives  rest  from  care.  Worry  kills  more 
people  than  work.  There  is  a  rest  in  Christ 
Jesus  in  the  midst  of  the  most  trying  perplexities 
of  life.  In  the  midst  of  a  storm  at  sea,  with 
hatches  battened  down,  the  passengers  sat  trem- 
bling in  the  cabin  while  the  vessel  pitched  like  a 
leaf.  A  little  miss  played  cheerfully  with  her 
toys.  Some  one  thought  she  was  old  enough  to 
understand  the  danger,  and  said  to  her,  ' '  Don't 
you  know  wc  may  go  to  the  bottom?"  She 
answered,  "  No  fear,  my  papa  is  at  the  wheel." 
The  incident  carries  its  own  application: — "  He 
careth  for  you."     The  consciousness  that  he  sees 


' , 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 

and  foresees,  that  he  cares,  that  he  ph„s    t/^ 

he  provides,  that  he  hns  it  nn   •  " 

sweet  rest      Wh.t    V  '"   '"'"<^'  g*^'^^ 

rest.     What  a  fortune  it  woulr]  h^  f„  „ 

mm  say,    a  will  give  you  rest." 


74 


DROPS    FROM    A 


THE   GREAT   SALVATION. 

How  shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation; 
which  at  the  first  began  to  be  spoken  by  the  Lord,  and 
was  confirmed  unto  us  by  them  that  heard  him  - 
Hebrews  2:3, 

^HE    question    asked    in    this   verse,    -How 
shall    we   escape    if    w^     neglect   so   great 
salvation,"  is  the  climax  of   quite  an  extended 
description  of  the  glory  of  Christ.     The  book  of 
Hebrews   begins    by   declaring   that  -God  has 
spoken    to    us    by    his    Son."     The   writer  then 
proceeds  to  speak  of  the  Son.     After  saying  that 
he  is  the  brightness  of  his  Father's  glory,  and 
the    express     image    of    his    person:    that    he 
tipholdcth    all  things;   that    by  him   the    worlds 
were  made;   he  proceeds  to  compare  him  with 
the  angels,   only  to  show,  that,   while   they  are 
creatures,   he    is    Creator;   that,    while  they   are 
worshipers,  he  is  the  one  whom  angels  worship. 
And  now  as  a  conclusion,  he  says,   -Therefore 


LIVING    FOUXTAIX. 

we  ought  to  give  the  «ore  earnest  heed  to  the 
..s  Which  .e  have  heard  ,.-_..  Howsi^ 

by  the  precious  blood  of  Christ  "    SoS  „f 
dost   thou   know   thy   worth.     Thv  "'''"' 

cost  .ore  than  the  whole  Jlnr  L^rr t" 

water    ITa^^r'rT  '''''''  '''"''''  "^  ^^'^ 
where  tl,  '  ""'  ^"''"'''^  '"  ""«  world 

where  the  worth  of  a  .sotU  can  be  weighed    is  i 
the  balances  of  the  cross      Tf  f,, 
infinite  orim  f  ^^  P'-^y™cnt  of  an 

tint  we  ?"""'  '"""''^  '"'^^'••>-'  'h-^"  we  feel 

t'>a  twe  are  wedded  to  God  by  ,„ercy  already 

height.-How  this  will  appear  on  the  resume 
"on  morning,  ,,h,„   «,,  ^^^^  ,,^  -dory  oZ T 
View   n1^rl   A  ,  ft.^^O    open  to 

f,       •  ''"^   ^"""  "'^^t  I>eight  we   see  -The   uit 

f>om    wh,ch    we  were  di<r..ed  -     To   ,  •' 

'oft'-o-        lo   be   raised 


I 


7(> 


DROPS     FROM     A 


{■ 


from  sin's  bottomless  abyss  into  the  unspeakable 
joys  of  life  eternal,  is  certainly  a  great  vSalvation. 

It  is  great  because  univensal. — The  provisions 
of  salvation  are  as  broad  as  the  stream  of 
humanity.  Touching  redemption's  provisional 
sweep,  the  Christian  is  a  Universalist.  Were 
men  but  as  willing  as  God  is,  universal  salvation 
would  be  the  result.  *' He  tasted  death  for  every 
man."  "He  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins; 
and  not  for  our's  only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of 
the  whole  world."  ''Whosoever  will  may  come." 
Mercy's  gate  is  wide ;  Jesus  sits  in  the  reception 
room  of  everlasting  mercy ;  and  over  the  door  is 
written,  "  Him  that  cometh  unto  me  I  will  in  no 
wise  cast  out." 

It  is  great  in  that  it  is  complete. — It  is  true, 
but  not  the  whole  truth,  to  say  that  Christ  came 
to  save  souls.  A  misstatement  is  almost  as  bad 
as  a  false  statement.  He  came  to  save  2ts. 
What  is  there  in  us  that  he  will  not  save?  Not 
satisfied  with  claiming  the  spirit  in  the  hour  of 
death,  he  declares  he  will  come  back,  and  claim 


4. 

i 


li 


LIVING    FOUXTALV. 


i. 


77 


even  the  sleep,,,  .u,.st  in  u:e  W  of  ,.e.s„„ec. 

gloufied,  stand  fortli  l  .  exhibit  tl„.        t 

God's  .salvation.  '  Perfeetion  of 

It  i.s  great,   because  tlae  message  is  sent  bv 

one.  Who.  thon.h  elothed  in   ti.e  Lwv  •;   b  of 
our  common  humanity,  is  -  Over  .11  r- ' ,  f         , 

forever  •■-- Tf  tl,.  ,  '  ^"'^  '"'''"■'^'-''I 

steadfa.st,    and      ;;"  r'^'      "  '^  ""''^^"■^  ^^"^'^ 

obedience  received      Lt        "''""'""    ""'    ''" 
leccivea  a  just  recompense  of  rew-irfl  • 

how  shall   we   cscioe     ,-f  ,  "^^'^^^  • 

salvation .      I  ,  "'^^'''^'^'  «"  great 

bvihe  r  '  r       :  ''  ""  '"'  '^^^'''"  '<^  '^'^  spoken 
by   he  Lord,  and  was  confirmed  unto  us  by  them 

ha   heard  him.v.      This  question,  like  a  div.^" 
c^-llenge,  has  been  flung  out  for  centuries.     No 

rnan  has  ever  been  able  to  an.swer  it.     .How 
siiall  we  escape  li  we  neglect?" 


|i 


I 

1 


T 


78 


DROPS    FROM    A 


SAVED  BY  GOD  THROUGH   RIGHTEOUS- 
NESS. 

For  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ;  for  it  is 
the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  be- 
lieveth;  for  therein  is  the  righeousness  of  God  revealed. 
— Romans  i:  16,  17. 

TN  this  text,  after  the  apostle  declares  he  is  not 
ashamed  of  the  gospel,  he  tells  us  three 
things  about  the  gospel. — First,  he  tells  us  that 
it  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation; — next, 
whom  it  saves; — and  third,  how  it  saves. 

Weigh  the  first  statement.  That  is,  "The 
gospel  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation."  We 
have  heard  of  God's  power  in  creation  ;  we  have 
heard  of  God's  power  in  destrtiction  ;  we  have 
seen  God's  power  in  preservation ;  and  the  news 
of  the  gospel  is,  that  the  same  arm  that  created 
all  things,  and  that  upholds  all  things,  is 
stretched  out  to  save.  God  has  become  a  vSaviour. 
This  fact  alone  makes  the  salvation  of  every  soul 


\ 


i 


LIVING     FOUNTAIN.  . 

possible.  No  matter  how  deep  the  degradation  • 
no  matter  how  strong  the  ehains  of  sin  ■  no 
matter  how  long  they  have  been  forged-  no 
matter  how  weak  and  helpless  the  poor  captive  ■ 
he   gospel   is   the   power  of   God : -and   when 

God  s  arm  .s  stretehed  out  on  behalf  of  a  sinner, 
hat  sou  wdl  be  saved.     Let  the  person  who  has 

tned  so  hard  to  be  good,  and  failed,  hear  this. 

1  he  gos-,,el  is  the  power  of  God  enlisted  on  be- 

half  of  the  soul ! 

And  now,  whom  does  it  .save?     •.  Every  one 
that  believeth."     Divinely  simple  good  tidings 
of   heaven!      God.    in   Christ,    stands   ready  to 
tindertake,  on    behalf  of    every    one    that    be- 
-veth        If  I  believe,    then  not  only   all   that 
Chnst  has  done  for  me  is  mine  ;    but  all  that  he 
■s   IS  enlisted  on  my  side.     If  I  believe  not,  then 
all  that  he  has  done,  and  all  that  he  is,  is  in  vain 
or  me.     Yonder  on  the  traek  stands  a  train  of 
headed  cars :  i„  front  of  them  an  engine.     There 
IS  power  enough  in  yonder  engine,  to  carry  that 
tram  at  a  flying  rate.     The  engine  starts,  but 


!;f 


80 


I)R<II'S    I'-ROM     A 


lo,  the  train  is  left  behind  !  What  is  the  matter' 
A  coupler  is  wanted.-Just  so,  there  is  power 
enough  in  God's  arm  to  save  the  universe  of  sin- 
ncrs,  to  say  nothing  of  one,  but  the  coupler  of 
faith  must  be  there.  He  will  do  what  we  rely 
on  him  to  do.  He  will  be  what  we  take  him 
to  be.  When  we  believe,  God  undertakes,  and 
the  blessing  comes. 

But  now,  how  does  he  .save.?     He  says  that 
in  this  gospel,    "The  righteousness  of  God  is  re- 
vealed."     We  would  not  be  surprised  if  he  .said, 
' '  The   love  of  God  is   revealed ; "  but  why  thi.s 
special   mention   of   the   righteousness  of   God' 
The  sinner  is  one  who  has  broken  God's  law  a 
law  which  is  the  reflection  of  the  divine  holiness 
as  well  as  pefectly  suited  to  secure  human  happi' 
ness.     Now,   every  breach  of  tlie  law  must  be 
punished.      The  man  w,  o  thinks  that  God  over- 
lo.*s   sin  and    lets   the   sinner   off,  has   a   false 
notion  of  God's  char.-tctcr.    God  never  overlooked 
a  sin  since  the  world  was.       1  le  never  can.      He 
would   blot  out  a  whole  universe  of  moral   beinos 


H 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


8i 


before  he  would  overlook  one  breach  of  divine 
law. 

In  this  very  fact,  namely,  that  sin  must  be  pun- 
ished, we  find  the  reason  why  Jesus  Christ  left 
the  throne,  and  the  Father's  house,  for  a  felon's 
cross.     God  is  so  righteous,  that  unless  some  one 
took  the  sinner's  place,  paid   the  sinner's  debt 
died  the  sinner's  death,  and  made  good  the  law' 
there  could  be  no  pardon  for  the  sinner.     Let 
not  this  fact  obscure  the  mercy  of  God ;   for  the 
same  God   who  was    too    holy    to    pass   sin    by 
without  a  substitute,  loved  us  enough  to  send  his 
own  dear  Son  to  be  that  substitute. 

"  Thus  while  His  cross,  my  sin  displays 
In  all  its  blackest  hue, 
Such  is  the  mystery  of  grace, 
It  seals  my  pardon  too." 

While  we  should  turn  ever  to  the  cross  for 
the  supreme  exhibition  of  God's  love,  let  us  not 
forget  that  the  same  cross  is  the  supreme  exhi- 
bition of  God's  righteousness.  I  stand  there  and 
say,  -Behold,   how  he  loved  me:    he  gave  his 


I 


'■*> 


•\ 


82 

^KOVS    FROM    A 


Son  for  me!"      But  I  say  also,    ..Behold,   his 
r^hteous   judgment   on    my  sin  :    for  wh..  il 
rested  even  on  his  beloved  Son,  he  must  die-" 
Thus,  mercy  :„  God's  plan  is  not  exercised  at 
the  expense  of  rig^hteousness,  but  through  right- 
eousness :  and  in  perfect  accord  with  righteous- 
n^      The  smner  who  is  saved  through  Jesus 
Chns    can  know  that  he  is  saved,  not  alone  in 
a  cord  w,th  the    love   of  God,   but    that    every 
nbuteo     the  divine  character  gives  him  the 

gospel,     reveahng    an    infinite    power   for  the 

s.nner's  salvation;    asking  him  simply  to  trust- 
and  s,,,„,.  ,„„  .„  ^  ^^.^^^.  ^^^^^  ^^^^^^^^  ^_^^  ^^.^-^  . 

nghteousncss,  as  clearly  as  the  divine  love ' 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


83 


A  BROKEN  FAMILY  CIRCLE  xMENDED. 

Take  ye  away  the  stone.-John  xi:  30. 
Lazarus  come  forth.— John  xi-  43 
Loose  him  and  let  him  go. -John  xi:  44. 

J\^  SHADOW  had  fallen  across  the  home  at 
Bethany.  It  was  one  of  the  earthly  homes 
where  Jesus  loved  to  visit:  but  Jesus  was  away,' 
and  Lazarus  was  sick,-sick  unto  death.  They 
sent  for  the  Lord.  He  came  not.-Lazarus  died. 
-Four  days  afterward  Jesus  came.  He  walked 
with  them  to  the  grave  ;-while  they  wept,  he 
w^pt. 

"O,  tear  forever  sacred,  since  in  grief 
The  Man  of  sorrows  mingled  healing  drops 
With  the  great  ocean  tide  of  human  woe  !" 

He  said,  "Take  ye  away  the  stone. "-He 
woke  the  sleeper.-He  said,  "  Loose  him  and  let 
him  go."    The  broken  family  circle  was  mended. 

But  the  story  has  a  significance  deeper  than 
Its  sweet  historic  meaning;   deeper  than  simply 


flS- 


I   '-f 


I 


84 


I^ROPS    FROM    A 


"rjT?; '""  ^^""  '°°'^^'^  ^^>'""'i  t''- 

grave   to  all    graves ;   beyond  the.se  tears  to  all 

and    hat  to  h„„,  the  scene  was  but  a  rift  in  the 
clouds,  revealing  what  sin  had  done.      It  .«e 
:^  2--  ^- '^esides,  it  is  a  pieture  Of  the  :^ 

Ples'^d'r  "t';'"  '""  ''°"^-The  first,  the  disei- 
Ples  did.  They  took  away  the  stone.  The 
second,  the    Lord  dKl.-_He  alone  eould  do  it  _ 

m-'^TlTr"'-  ^'-  '■^-'-  the  disciples 
dKl       took  off  the  grave  clothes  and  let  him  go. 

souls    o  „fe.      Many  a  dead  soul   is  entombed 

wh^ch  eoL:  r  ro,rc;\:r,;'^^  "^^^  ^-^■"^'-' 

/"  '"'  '-'«•■'}•  by  persistent  kind- 

h.ch  could  be  rolled  away  by  teaching  and 
1-ng  the  gospel  before  them.  It  may  iL  the 
contr.ad,ct,ou  they  .see    between    the    pLcs.s    „ 


US 

ill 

s: 
le 

IS 

a 

■0 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


S5 


and  the  daily  living;  of  Christians.  This  stone 
keeps  thousands  in  their  graves.  It  ean  be 
rolled  away  by  repentance  on  the  part  of  the 
d'seiple,  and  a  retnrn  to  the  devotion  and  the 
■simplicity  of  the  Christian  life.  There'll  be  no 
resurrection  till  the  stone  is  rolled  away,  and 
while  we  are  asking  Christ  to  raise  the  dead  he 
IS  commanding  us  to  roll  away  the  stone. 

After  this  was  done,  how  instantly,   readily 
eagerly,  Jesus  stepped  forward  and  did  his  part' 
Let  the  church  meet  the  conditions  on  her  side' 
and  the  voice  that  wakes  the  dead  will  be  heard 
"1  the  midst,  at  once.     Think  of  the  life  givin.. 
power  of  that  voice  :-the  same  voice  that  at  th^e 
begmning,    clothed    earth    with   verdure,   filled 
ocean  with   fish,  filled  air  with  fowl  and  forest 
with  beast ;  and  breathed  into  man's  nostrils  the 
breath  of  life.      It  is  the  .san>e  voice  that   uiU 
.soon  speak,  and,  from  earth's  bosom  and  ocean's 
bed;     from     lonely    battle     field     and     hillside 
cemetery:   his  sleeping  .saints,  a  miyhty  army 
will  rise,  dressed  in   immortality,  and  meet  him 


i  I 


86 


t>RO]>S    FROM     A 


in  the  air.     When  he  whispers,    '.Coffle  forth  " 

the  soul  that  lone  has  slnnt  ;„   c- 

call   ,n.l  tu  ^  '""'  "^^^  "t  '"S 

call,  and  the  man  is  a  new  creature 

But,   though    Lazarus    was  risen,   his  grave 
clothes  were  still  tightly  wound  about  him       So 
he  regenerate  soul  finds  much  that  belongs  not 
^o   h  b  t  to  the  old.  still  clinging  to  him. 

D^cples  of  Jesus,  go  quickly  to  that  soul    i„ 

whom  you  see  the  stirring  of  a  new  life.-_Help 
>^.noff   wt,,,,g,,,^.^,,^^,^^^_,,^^^^^^.l 

and    let    h,m    go."     Thus  are  we,    "Laborers 
together  with  God." 


LrVI.VG     FCIUXTAIX. 


87 


THE  POSSIBILITIES  OF  FAITH, 
works  than  thes.  ll  a     he  ;  o    h""'         ^'"'r'^  """  greater 

AT  first  sight  this  saying  of  our  Lord  appears 
hkc  an  extravagant  oriental  mctaplwr. 
What?  ..And  he  that  believeth  on  me  the 
works  that  I  do  shall  he  do  also;  and  greater 
works  than  these?"  We  look  at  the  eontcxt  for 
an  explanation,  and  instead  of  the  wonder  dimin- 
ishing  It  increases. 

He  had  been  talking  with  his  disciples  about 
the  way  to  the  Father,  when  Philip  broke  in 
«.-iy-ng.  ..Lord,  show  us  the  Father  and  it  suflieeth 
us.  We  can  almost  see  bin,  raise  his  brows  in 
k.ndly  surprise  as  he  saul,  ••  Have  I  been  so  Ion. 
■me  with  j-ou,  and  yet  hast  th,n,  not  known  mc^ 
'  '"I'P?     He  that  h.ath  seen   n>e  hath  seen  the 


J 


88 


DROPS     FROM     A  ,; 


^^1  Father."      And    then  he  proeeeded   to  explain, 

••^'  that,    as    a    man,    he   so  lived   by    faith   in  the 

Father,  and  was  so  filled  with  the  Father,  that 
when  he  spoke,  the  Father  spoke  in,  and  throiicrh 
him,  and  that  when  he  wroujrht,  it  was  the 
Father  who  wrought  in,  and  throng-h  him;  so 
that  seeing  and  hearing  him,  they  were  seeing 
and  hearing  the  Father.  Having  thus  explained 
I  his  relation  to  the   Father,  he    instantly  added, 

>  ''And  he  that  believeth  on  me,  the  works  that  I 

.   "  do  shall  he  do  also." 

<^  ^t  '''■'^^  J<-^-'^^i«  tising  his  own   relation  to  the 

Father  as  an  illustration  and  pattern  of  what  the 
believer's  relation    to    Him  would   be  after  his 
j  ji  resurreetion  ;  as  if  he   said,    -  I  have  believed  in 

':  my  Father:  in  response  to  my  faith  he  has  filled 

.  me,   so    that    when   I   spoke,    it  was  not   I   who 

spoke,  but  the  Father  who  spoke  through  me ;  so 
that  when  I  wrought,  it  was  not  I  who  wrought, 
but  the  Father  working  through  me:  thus  have 
I  been  God  manifest  among  men.  Now  I  am 
going    away,    and    such    shall    be   the    relation 


! 


UVIXU    l--OU.\iAIN. 


89 


between    my  disciple   and    myself,  that,   as   he 
looks  up  to  me  in  faith,   I  will  fill  him,  so  that 
when  he  speaks,  I   will  speak  tho„s,.h  him ;   so 
that  when  he  w,)rks.  I   will  work  through  him  • 
and   he   sh.all   be  Christ   manifest  among  men' 
■So  that  just  as  I  ean  say.  '  He  that  hath  seen  me 
hath   seen  the  Father,'  it   shall  be  true  of  my 
cl..se,ple,  in  a  very  important  sense,  that  he  who 
sees  him,  sees  Jesus  Christ." 

This  promise  is  so  glorious  that  it  becomes 
awful.     Our  weak  faith  staggers  before  it.      We 
are  very  familiar  with  the  truth   that  Christ  is 
our    righteousness  before  God ;    we  are  gla,:  to 
look    up    and    .s.ay.    .'I    have   one   representinc. 
me   before   the   throne,  whose   righteousness  it 
perfect; -but  Jesus  teaches    us  in  this  saying 
that,  wh.le  he  is  our  righteousness  before  God 
we  are  his  righteousness  before  men.      God  sees 
us  in  Clirist.     Men  are  to  see  Christ  in  us      It  is 
as  if  he  .said,  .'While   I  represent    vou  up  here 
I  will   so    fill    you,    that   you    will    be    able   t,> 
represent  me  down  there. 


i 


)o 


Dkors    FROM    A 


*y 


Rut  what  means  the  elimax  of  this  promise? 
"And  <,n"eater  works  shall  he  do  because  I  go 
unto  my  Father?"  It  means  that  he,  indeed, 
is  to  do  greater  things  throagli  the  members  of 
his  l)ody  than  he  did  liimself.  At  Pentecost 
tliis  promise  l)egan  to  be  fulfilled.  Peter's  single 
sermon  on  that  day  brought  more  nien  to  Christ 
than  were  brought,  so  far  as  we  know,  by  the 
entire  three  years  ministry  of  Jesus.  But  it  was 
not  Peter. — It  was  still  Christ  in  his  resurrection 
life,  speaking  through  one  who  believed  in  him. 

Would  we  have  power  in  testimony;  would 
we  have  power  in  prayer;  would  we  love  men 
with  a  love  like  Christ's;  would  we  have  power 
in  the  hour  of  temptation  like  tlie  very  stability 
of  God ;  would  wc  have  a  patience  that  cannot 
be  ruOled?  In  a  word,  w(ju!(l  we  have  t)ur  poor 
crooked  lives  to  grow  like  his  ?  Jesus  gives  us 
the  key: — "  He  that  believeth  on  me."  Put  the 
einphasis  on  ///r.  As  if  he  said,  ''If  you  will 
take  f//i'  for  it  and  let  //w  do  it,  it  shall  be  done." 
This  is  but  another  edition   of  that    wonderful 


^ 


■k 


i 


I 


I.IVINc;     IXlUXIAlV. 


91 


•saymg;  ..  Work  out  your  own  .salvation  with  fear 
and  trembling,  for  it  is  God  that  worketh  in  you 
to  wll  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleast.ro."  He  who 
dares  to  believe,  will  have  the  rieh  reward  of  the 
experience  of  faith  s  high  possibilities. 


I 


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. 


■■■  I: 


'? 


I 


-1  5 


1  •:' 


li;     '■ 


W"' 


92  DROPS    FROM    A 


FAITH,   HOPE,  AND   LOVE. 

And  now  abideth,  Faith,  Hope,  and  Charity, 
ist  Cor.  13:  13. 

TT  has  been  truthfully  said,  '*It  takes  three 
things  to  make  a  happy  life ;  something 
good  to  remember, — something  good  to  love, — 
and  something  good  to  hope  for,"  Jesus  Christ 
is  all  three. 

Faith  has  been  called  the  remembrance  of  the 
soul ;  for  it  looks  back  to  Calvary  where  Jesus 
died.  But  while  faith  carries  us  back  to  Christ 
on  the  cross  and  love  lifts  us  up  to  Christ  on  the 
throne,  hope  carries  us  onward,  to  Christ  coming 
the  second  time.  Upon  the  great  event  of  the 
past,  Christ's  death  and  resurrection,  we  rest  our 
faith;  around  the  great  reality  of  the  present, 
a  reigning  Christ,  we  entwine  our  love ;  and 
toward  the  great  event  of  the  future,  we  point 
the  telescope  of  our  hope.  Let  us  look  at  each 
in   turn. 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  93 

Faith.— We  stand,  in  thought,  by  that  cross, 
and    listen    while    God's    word    proclaims    its 
meaning.     Who?     Aiswer,  -God  was  in  Christ, 
reconciling   the   world    unto    himself."      How? 
ChrLst  has  taken  our  place.     His  sinless  soul  is 
laden  with  our  sins.     He  dies,  not  the  death  of  a 
martyr,  but  that  of  a  criminal.     He  is  treated  by 
divine  justice  as  though  he  were  the  criminal  of 
criminals.      Yea,    as    though    the   sum   of    the 
world's  crime   were  all   his  own!     See  the  sun 
darken  ;  feel  the  earth  quake  ;  see  the  rocks  rend  ; 
see  the  graves  open ;  behold  all  nature,  as  if  in 
the   throes  of   dumb  agony,  sympathizing  with 
the   scene  !       He   who   knew   no   sin   has  been 
made   sin   for   us.        The    brow,    used   only   to 
heaven's  glorious  crown,  now  wears  a  crown  of 
thorns.     The  hand,  used  only  to  heaven's  royal 
sceptre   is   pierced  with   a   nail.     Hear  the  cry, 
'*My  God,    My  God,    Why  hast  thou   forsaken 
me?"     He  dies.— It  is  God's  provision  to  meet 
the  most  awful  moral  necessity  that  ever  existed. 
Now,  the  voice  from  heaven  says,  ''Whosoever 


Mi 

is 


;:l 


•r^ 


94  DROrS    FROM    A 

believeth  in  him  shall  receive  remission  of  sins." 
Now,  God  can  be  "just,"  and  yet  "The  justifier 
of  him  that  believeth  in  Jesus."  Now,  it  can  be 
seen  that  God  is  light,  revealing  all  the  evil  of 
man's  condition;  and  yet  that  God  is  love, 
righteously  forgiving,  through  the  blood  of  his 
Son.  What  does  faith  do  ?  Stands  by  the 
cross;  sees  all;  hears  all;  accepts  all;  says 
"Amen"  to   God's  way;   and  is  saved. 

We  turn  now  from  the  cross  to  the  throne. — 
The  same  face  greets  us  there. 

"  The  head  that  once  was  crowned  with  thorns, 
Is  crowned  with  glory  now." 

No  soul  can  look  into  the  face  of  an  enthroned 
Christ  and  not  love  him.  Of  his  loveliness, 
"The  half  was  never  told."  "He  is  the  ct  "ef 
among  ten  thousand."  "He  is  fairer  than  .ne 
sons  of  men."  Our  hearts  take  up  the  language 
of  the  hymn  :  — 

"Jesus,  who  on  His  glorious  throne, 
Rules  heaven,  and  earth,  and  sea, 
Is  pleased  to  claim  me  for  His  own. 
And  give  Himself  to  me. 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  95 

His  person  fixes  all  my  love, 

His  blood  removes  my  fear  ; 
And  while  he  waits  for  me  above, 

His  arm  preserves  me  here." 

Just  as  it  is  true  that  we  know  not  what 
wealth  of  love  lies  latent  within  us,  until  we 
meet  some  one  who  awakens  in  us  a  supreme 
human  affection,  so  is  it  true  in  a  far  higher 
sense,  that  we  know  not  of  what  we  are  capable, 
until  the  heavenly  love  wakes  our  dull  hearts 
with  that  love  *' Which  passeth  knowledge;" 
then  do  we  say  : — 

"Since  my  eyes  were  fixed  on  Jesus, 
I've  lost  sight  of  all  beside  ; 
So  enchained  my  spirit's  vision, 
Looking  at  the  crucified." 

'*  We  love  because  He  first  loved  us." 

And  now  we  turn  our  eyes  to  the  future. 

The  same  face    greets    us    again.      It  is  Jesus 
coming  the  second  time.     The  notions  of  the  acre  t 

have  so  crept  mto  the  faith  of  the  church,  that  I 

^'The  blessed  hope  "  has  been  explained  away.  \ 

Be  not  deceived.      If    Jesus  came   once,   he   is 


9^^  DROPS    FROxM    A 

coming-  again.  As  truly,  really,  literally,  as 
ever  there  was  a  babe  born  in  Bethlehem  of 
Judea,  who  grew  up  and  worked  in  a  carpenter's 
shop  in  Nazareth,  preached  in  Judea  and  Galilee, 
was  crucified  between  thieves,  rose  the  third 
day,  and  ascended  to  the  throne  of  God  ;  so  truly, 
really,  and  literally,  ''This  same  Jesus  will  come 
again,  not  as  the  lowly  son  of  Mary,  but  with  all 
his  Father's  glory."  Methinks,  as  has  well  been 
I  said,  "The  universe  will  look  not  more  than  a 

1  '  '  ^^'^V  of  dew  on  the  fringe  of  his  garment."    The 

I  very  sheen  of  his  royal  robe  will  turn  the  dark- 

1  ness  of  this  age  into  the  cloudless  dawn  of  an 

■  ;  eternal  day. 

j  I  ^^t  what  makes  this  so  sweet  to  the  Chris- 

tian?    Jesus'  own  words;— '<  I  will  come  a^ain, 
and  receive  fou  unto  myself,  that  where  I  am, 
there  j^'  may  be  also."     Blessed  is  that  soul,  that 
i  ,  being  anchored  back  to  the  great  event  of  the 

?  P^st,     Christ's     death     and    resurrection  ;     and 

anchored  up  to  the  great  reality  of  the  present, 
Christ    enthroned   at    God's  right   hand  ;  waits 


i, : 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  97 

for   that  *  *  Hope   which   we    have  as  an  anchor 

of  the  soul,  both  sure  and  steadfast,  and  which 

entereth   into   that   within    the    veil,"  even  the 

hope  of  his  appearing.     Of  these  three,  love  is 

indeed  greatest  ;     for    when    faith    shall    have  i 

become  signt,  and  hope,  realization,  love's  sweet  ; 

reign  will  only  properly  begin. 


f  t 


<    %' 


98  DROPS    FROM    A 

GOD'S  THOUGHT  ABOUT  HIS  CHILDREN, 
BEFORE  THE  WORLD  WAS. 

For  whom  he  did  foreknow,  he  also  did  predestinate  to 
be  conformed  to  be  the  image  of  his  Son,  that  he  might 
be  the  first  born  among  many  brethren.— Rom.  8:  29. 

QNE   of   the  proofs   that  the  Bible   is  God's 
word  is  the  far  reaching-  sweep  of  its  state- 
ments.    Here  is  a  sentence  which  begins  back 
before  the  morning-  star  began  to  shine,  sweeps 
J  clear  through  the  history  of  the  plan  of  God,  and 

I  terminates  with  the  church  in  glory  with  Christ 

ii  ^  beyond  the  resurrection.     Nobody  but  God  can 

speak  like  that.     But  his  years  are  eternal ;  with 
him,  ages  are  hours,— centuries  are  seconds. 

We  note  three  things  in  this  statement.  The 
first,  is  God's  thought  about  his  children,  before 
the  world  was.  We  stand  with  him,  back  when 
all  was  future,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  tells  us  what 
his  great  wish  and  purpose  was,  as  he  looked 
down  the  avenues  of  the  ages.  We  pause  here 
to  note  that  this  doctrine  troubles  many  honest 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


99 


souls.     Some  persuade  themselves  that  it  is  not  ■ 

in  the  Scriptures.      Others  see  it  there,  but  wish  '' 

it  were  not.     But  why?     Is  there  no  comfort  for  |' 

the  believer  in  the  thought  of  God  knowing  and  ;| 

choosing  beforehand?  I 

One  has  well  said  :  * '  How  would  you  like  to  ' 

board  a  train  at  midnight,  to  rush  out  into  the  | 

darkness  at  sixty  miles  an  hour,  when  neither 
conductor  nor  engineer  had  ever  been  over  the  | 

road  before,  and  the  train  had  not  so  much  as  a  ( 

headlight,  to  reveal  with  its  gleam  the  broken  \ 

bridge  or  rail?"     You  say,  "  I'd  rather  walk  and 
I  trust  my  wits."     Well,  if  God  were  running  the 

universe   on   almighty  chance,   could    you  trust  I 

him?       God    meant    the   truth    of    his   eternal  i 

election  to  give  unspeakable  comfort  and  assur- 
ance to  the  heart  of  his  child.  "  But,"  you  say, 
"What  about  the  rest?"      All   we  need  answer  I 

here  is,    "There  is  nothing  in  the  doctrine  of  i 

God's  election  as  revealed  in  the  Scriptures  to  I 

keep   any    soul    from    coming    to  Christ;"  and  ; 

Christ  is  the  way  of  salvation.  ? 


1 1 


t  ;     ■' 


J  00  DROPS    FROM    A 

f  And   now,    to   what   were   we   chosen    from 

'  eternity?      What   was   God's  thought  about  us 

while    we    were    yet    unborn    and    unboueht  ? 
"  Whom  he  did  foreknow,  he  also  did  predesti- 
nate   to  be  conformed  to   the   image  of  his  Son." 
Would  it  have  been  possible  for  God  himself  to 
wish  a  higher  wish  for  us  than  that?     I'd  rather 
have  the  character  of  Jesus  Ch-IoL  than  have  his 
throne.     Better,  O,  child  of  God,  -  Thc.n  all  the 
golden  fancies  of  all  your  golden  dreams,"  is  the 
thing  that  God  wished,  planned  and  chose  for 
you  from  the  beginning.    Lord,  above  all  things, 
give  me  that  which  was  in  thy  heart  for  me  of 
old,  even  from  everlasting;   that  is,  likeness  to 
Christ.      There  is   nothing   so    good    on   earth, 
there  will  be  nothing  so  good  in  Heaven. 

We  ask  now,  by  what  means  does  he  propose 
to  make  us  like  Jesus?  The  answer  is  divinely 
simple :  likeness  to  Jesus  Christ  comes  through 
acquaintance  with  Jesus.  ''This  is  life  eternal," 
that  we  ''might  know  thee,  the  only  true  God 
and   Jesus   Christ,   whom  thou  hast  sent."      A 


' 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


lOI 


gentleman  stood  in  an  art  gallery  looking  at  a 
statue.  It  was  the  marble  likeness  of  a  stronir, 
erect,  athletic,  noble  looking  man.  He  noted, 
as  men  passed  by  and  paused,  each  one  a 
moment,  to  survey  its  splendid  proportions,  that 
each  man  involuntarily  straightened  up  a  little, 
and  looked  a  little  more  of  a  man.  Just  so,  no 
soul  can  truly  look  into  the  face  of  the  God  man, 
by  faith,  without  taking  on  some  of  his  heavenly 
beauty.  Would  you  be  like  Him?  Cultivate 
his  acquaintance.  Thus  work  in  line  with  the 
purpose  of  God  for  your  own  highest  happiness. 
If  you  neglect  his  acquaintance  and  prefer  not  to 
know  him,  charge  not  your  final  loss  upon  God's 
election.     Charge  it  where  it  belongs. 

But  again. — This  text  turns  our  eyes  to  a 
scene  in  the  future — a  resurrection  scene, — 
when  the  purpose  of  God  concerning  us  is  com- 
pleted,— Jesus  "The  first  born  among  many 
brethren."  He  was  the  "first  born  of  all 
creation;"  he  was  the  first  born  of  Mary;  he  was 
the  first  born  of  the  church ;  he  was  the  ' '  first 


^°2  DROPS    FROM    A 

\  ^''^^   fi'om   the   dead."      In    that   day    he    will 

appear,  not  as  an  -Only  begotten  Son,"  but  as 
an  elder  brother  among  a  great  eompany  of 
brethren.  Here  is  one  view  of  the  society  of 
heaven:— -A  multitude  that  no  man  can 
number,"  each  bearing  perfectly  the  likeness  of 
Jesus,  and  Jesus  in  the  midst  as  *«  The  first  born 
among  many  brethren."  We  have  seen  on  a 
summer  morning  the  sun  shining  on  a  grass 
r  r  fi^ld,  when  eveiy  blade  held  a  dew-drop.      They 

-■  '  ^'^^'^  niuch  smaller  than  the  sun,  yet  a  perfect 

image  of  the  sun  was  reflected  in  every  one  of 
them;  and  by  reflected  light  they  were  each 
shining  back  like  so  many  little  suns,  in  the  face 
of  heaven's  great  luminary.  In  the  day  that  is 
coming,  Jesus  will  shine  upon  the  face  of  his 
church  in  undimmed  splendor  of  grace  and 
glory ;  and  as  each  reflects  his  image,  we  will 
know,  as  we  never  knew  on  earth,  the  meaning 
of  the  words  -We  love,  because  he  first  loved 
us."— Jesus  will  be  satisfied. 


If 


LIVING    FOUNTAIX.  103 


GOD'S   INHERITANCE   AND   OURS. 

Which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance.— Ephesians  i:  14. 
His  inheritance  in  the  saints,— Ephesians,  i:  18. 

V\/'E  are  accustomed  to  speak  much  of  the 
believer's  inheritance  in  heaven,  but  a 
comparison  of  the  two  passages  above,  shows  us 
that  while  the  believer  has  an  inheritance  in 
heaven,  God  has  an  inheritance  in  this  world. 

When  we  look  for  our  inheritance,  we  look 
up.  When  God  looks  for  his,  he  looks  down. 
Christ  at  God's  right  hand,  is  our  inheritance. 
We,  are  God's  inheritance.  As  the  bride  looks 
forward  to  the  time  when  she  will  claim  the 
loved  one  for  her  own,  no  less  does  the  bride- 
groom look  forward  to  the  time  when  he  will 
claim  her.  We  have  a  foretaste  of  our  inheri- 
tance now.  The  Holy  Spirit  in  our  hearts  is 
''The  first  fruits,"  the  foretaste,  a  little  of 
heaven  on  earth  beforehand. 


ill  I 


104 


DROPS    FROM    A 


'i  i- 


God  has  a  foretaste  of  his  inheritance  now. 
One  man  has  been  raised  from  the  dead.  Do 
not  forget  that  Jesus  is  one  of  the  race  of  Adam, 
a  true  member  of  the  human  family,  as  well  as 
the  Son  of  God.  He  is  now  at  God's  right  hand. 
''Death  hath  no  more  dominion  over  him."  One 
sheaf  of  first  fruits  has  been  gathered  by  God's 
right  hand,  in  resurrection,  from  earth's  harvest 
field.  As  the  Father  looks  on  him  he  sees  in 
him  a  pledge  and  a  prophecy  of  "  A  great  multi- 
tude that  no  man  can  number."  So  while  we 
are  experiencing  here,  through  the  Spirit  in  our 
hearts,  a  foretaste  of  the  joy  we  will  have  in  our 
fellowship  with  God  in  heaven,  God  is  experi- 
encing, as  he  looks  upon  his  Son  Jesus,  a  fore- 
taste of  the  joy  he  will  have  in  his  fellowship 
with  the  great  company  of  his  children. 

We  say  oi/r  inheritance  is  ' '  Incorruptible  and 
undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved 
in  heaven  for  us,"  but  he  here  speaks  of  ''The 
riches  of  the  glory  of  /i/s  inheritance  in  the 
saints."    No  wonder  the  believer's  heart  kindles, 


?  \ 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  105 

as  through  the  promise  he  scans  the  distant  hill 
tops  of  another  world,  and  feels  within,  a  thrill 
which  tells  him  that  the  beginnings  of  heaven's 
joy  are  his  already;   but  he  only  sees,   as  }'et, 
through   a   glass,  darkly.       What   must   be   the 
kindling  of  the  divine  heart  as  He  looks  forward, 
with  vision  undimmed,  to  the  time  when  he  will 
gather  around    himself  out  of  every  nation   and 
kindred,  and   people   and   tongue,    a   redeemed 
army  whose  praises  will  be  like  the  swelling  of 
the  ocean;   each  of  whom  has  been  bought  by 
blood    most    precious,    sought    by    love    most 
patient,  brought  by  grace  unspeakable  from  the 
dark    labyrinth    of   earth's   sin,    into   the   green 
fields  and  beside  the  still  waters  of  Paradise. 

It  was  a  glad  day  for  the  prodigal  when  he 
came  home  and  met  the  father's  smile  of  foro-ive- 
ness,  and  sat  down  to  feast  upon  the  best  the 
household  could  afford  ;  but  it  was  a  gladder  day 
for  the  father.  Do  we  make  enough  of  the  joy 
of  God  in  saving  man,  and  in  holding  fellowship 
with  them  after  they  have  been  "Made  meet," 


4'. 


1 06  DROPS    FROM    A 

throug-h  his  grace,  for  an  ''Inheritance  of  the 
saints  in  light  ?  "  If  zue  can  rejoice  in  what  we 
shall  be,  though  to  us  **It  doth  not  appear 
what  we  shall  be,"  how  much  greater  is  the  joy 
of  the  Lord  as  He  looks  at  what  we  shall  be, 
knowing  it  all. 
I  ]{  The    little   boy   of   two   summers   loves   his 

father;    but   how    much    larger,    deeper,    more 
intelligent,  is   the    father's   love   for   him.       He 
!',  prattles  away  and  enjoys  his  father's  company, 

II  but   see  the    father's  smile  as   he  listens  to  his 

I  merry  talk.     Great  as  is  the  joy  of  the  believer 

\i  in  God,  it  is  nothing  to  the  joy  of  God  in  the 

believer.  The  reflection  of  the  lake  back  to  the 
sun  is  bright,  but  who  would  compare  it  with  the 
wealth  the  sun  streams  upon  it.  Glad  are  we 
that  we  have  an  inheritance  imspeakable : 
gladder  may  we  be  that  he  who  gave  us  our 
'jfi  •  inheritance,  has  one  also  worthy  of  himself. 


r 


H 


m 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  107 


WHAT  DOES  IT  MEAN  TO  BE  SAVED? 

What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?— Acts  16:  30. 

VyHAT  was  the  full  import  of  this  question? 
What  does  it  mean  to  be  saved?  The 
word  saved,  as  used  in  the  gospel,  has  a  length, 
breadth,  height,  which  we  shall  never  fully 
know  till  we  read  it  under  the  bright  light  of  a 
better  world.  We  do  know  enough  now  of  its 
meaning,  to  fill  us  with  joy  unspeakable. 

We  mention  three  things  in  connection  with 
the  word  saved.  It  means  complete,  perfect, 
forgiveness  of  the  past.  The  day  we  first  came 
to  Jesus  and  believed  on  him,  then  and  there, 
God,  through  his  Son,  forgave  our  transgressions 
so  completely  that  before  him  they  are  now  as  if 
they  had  never  been. 

We  remember  the  story  of  the  Pilgrim 
iu  Bunyan's  dream,  with  a  heavy  burden  on 
his  back;    he    came   to    the    cross,    looked,  and 


■  i'\  <■ 


'4 

% 


i.] 


1 08  DROPS    FROM    A 

the  straps  that  bound  it  to  him  were  loosened ; 
the  burden  rolled  away.  He  never  saw  it  again). 
The  sins  of  the  man  who  is  in  Christ  will  not  be 
brought  up  at  the  judgment  day.  Not  only  does 
God  say,  '*  There  is  therefore  now  no  condemna- 
tion to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus,"  but 
he  stands  by  the  believer  and  flings  out  the 
challenge,  ''Who  shall  lay  anything  to  the 
charge  of  God's  elect?"  and  then  adds,  "It  is 
Christ  that  died,  yea  rather,  that  is  risen  again, 
who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who  also 
maketh  intercession  for  us."  The  cross  of  Jesus 
means  something.  Every  charge  that  divine 
,  =i  ■  justice  had  to  lay  against  me,  was  laid  against 

y-  \  him.       He  settled   it  all.       What  God  does   is 

"■^1  perfect.       The    moment    the    sinner    trusts   in 

I;'  Christ,  he  has  as  clean  a  spirit  as  the  brightest 

].  I'.  angel  in  the  shining  ranks  of  heaven.    The  man  is 

ijt?  not  perfect;  it  is  the  forgiveness  that  is  perfect. 

•'  To  be  saved,  means,  in  the  second  place,  a 

new  life  within.      In    the  same  hour  that  God 
,  jl..  forgives  the  past  he  begins  in  the  heart  a  work 

t      'I  •! 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  1 09 

of  grace  for  the  present  and  the  future.  It 
includes  a  growing  likeness  to  Christ,  that  not 
only  blesses  one's  self,  but  also  makes  one  a 
blessing.  The  leading  impulse  of  a  Christian's 
heart,  next  to  love  to  God,  is  to  do  good  to  man. 
These  two  cannot  exist  apart. 

A  mother  lost  her  little  girl.  She  sank  under 
her  grief.  The  husband  thought  a  change 
would  help  her.  He  was  wealthy.  They 
traveled  far  and  near.  Nothing  could  interest 
her.  Her  heart  was  in  that  little  grave.  At 
last,  in  a  distant  city,  he  took  her  in  to  see  the 
children  in  an  orphan  asylum.  She  looked  on 
listlessly  for  a  time ;  then  her  face  suddenly 
brightened,  and  she  cried,  ''Let  me  have  that 
little  girl  yonder.  Let  me  have  her  for  my 
own."  The  superintendent  said,  "Why  that 
little  girl  in  preference  to  others?"  The  aUvSwer 
was  conclusive.  "She  looks  like  my  little 
Mary."  We  need  not  say  that  all  the  wealth  of  a 
mother's  heart  was  her's  from  that  day,  simply 
because  she  resembled  Marv. 


I? 


I 


no  DROrS    FROM    A 

Man   is  the  image  of  God,  scarred,  defaced, 
,  like  the  well  worn  stone;   but  his  image  still. 

I  Can  we  love  God  and  not  love  those  who  bear 

I  his  image?       "If  a  man  love  not  his  brother 

;'  whom  he  hath  seen  how  can  he  love  God  whom 

}  he  hath  not  seen?"     To  be  saved,   then,  means 

the  possession  of  a  new  life  which  finds  express- 
ion in  love  to  both  God  and  man.  To  be  saved, 
means  a  sure  and  blessed  hope  beyond  this 
world:  a  hope  grounded  on  the  sure,  definite, 
promises  of  Jesus.  "  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for 
you,  I  will  come  again  and  receive  you  unto  my- 
self," and  many  more.  The  man  who  is  saved 
can  look  with  faith's  telescope  to  a  land  not  far 
away,  and  say  with  an  assurance  that  the  world 
knows  not  of,  ' '  We  know  that  if  our  earthly 
house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we  have 
a  building  of  God,  a  house  not  made  with  hands, 
eternal  in   the  heavens." 

"We  have  an  anchor  that  keeps  the  soul 
Firm  and  secure  while  the  billows  roll  ; 
It  is  fastened  to  the  rock  that  cannot  move, 
It  is  grounded  deep  in  the  Saviour's  love." 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  Ill 


A  GREAT  GIFT  AND  A  PRINCELY 

GIVER. 

If  thou  knewest  the  gift  of  God. — Jv/nn,  4  :  10. 

JESUS  was  passing  through  Samaria.  He 
•^  stopped  by  a  well-side  to  rest.  His  dis- 
ciples had  gone  away  to  buy  meat.  There  came 
a  woman, — by  chance? — no,  in  the  providence  of 
God.  A  woman,  ignorant,  prejudiced  and  vile. 
Jesus  engaged  her  for  a  few  moments  in  conver- 
sation ;  that  was  all.  She  was  never  the  same 
woman  afterward.  The  whole  course  of  her  life 
was  changed  from  the  inky  blackness  of  sin's 
downward  path  to  that  path  ' '  Which  shineth 
more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day."  If  dis- 
ciples of  Jesus  would  improve  wayside  oppor- 
tunities as  he  did,  this  incident  might  be 
repeated  a  thousand  times  a  day.  Let  us  pick 
out,  in  brief,  the  sum  of  what  Jesus  told  her. 
He  gave  her  to  understand  that  there  was  a 


■ 


K 


112  DROPS    FROM    A 

great  need  in  her  life  which  none  but  he  could 
fill.  ''Whosoever  drinketh  of  this  water  shall 
thirst  again."  These  words  can  be  written 
truthfully  over  every  stream  of  earthly  happi- 
ness. In  every  human  heart  there  is  a  place 
which  none  but  Jesus  can  fill. 
>.||  Man  was  no  more  made  to  live  without  God, 

than  he  was  made  to  live  without  food,  and  the 
soul,  though  it  drink  of  every  earthly  stream ; 
though  its  pathway  be  strewn  with  roses; 
though  earth  and  heaven  combine  to  provide  the 
good  things  of  this  life ;  that  soul  will  still  be 
thirsty,  till  it  finds  Christ. 

Jesus  knew  what  was  in  man.  He  knew 
that  man  is  just  a  great  capacity  for  God. 
Hence,  his  frequent  use  of  that  word  "Thirst." 
We  are  apt  to  think,  -  If  I  had  this  or  that,  I'd 
be  satisfied."  Could  we  fill  the  ocean's  bed  with 
a  teacup?  Then  could  we  fill  a  great,  hungry 
spirit,  created  in  God's  image,  with  the  fading 
toys  of  time. 

But   our    Lord    also   taught    her    that    this 


if 


i  ■  ■ 


h 


/. 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  I  13 

heavenly  gift,  which  would  slake  the  soul's 
thirst  forever,  was  to  be  had  for  the  asking. 
He  said,  '*If  thou  knewest  the  gift  of  God,  and 
who  it  is  that  talketh  with  thee,  thou  wouldest 
have  asked  of  him  and  he  would  have  <riven 
thee  living  water."  We  say  Christ's  gifts  are  as 
free  as  fresh  air,  as  free  as  sunlight,  as  free 
as  the  water  that  bubbles  from  the  fountain ; 
but  where  shall  we  find  a  comparison  that  will 
fitly  represent  the  princely  bounty  of  eternal  life, 
the  gift  of  God's  eternal  love? 

It  is  * 'Whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water 
of  life  freely."  She  became  interested.  At  last 
she  said,  ''Give  me  this  water."  Then  Jesus 
stopped  her. — "Go  call  thy  husband."  This 
brought  to  view  a  life  of  sin,  for  she  had  had 
five  husbands,  and  was  now  living  with  another. 
The  lesson  is  not  hard  to  read.  For  every  soul 
that  would  come  into  the  kingdom,  on  its 
threshold  the  sin  question  must  be  settled. 

It  is  easy  enough  to  come  into  the  visible 
church     without    settling     the    sin   question. — 


3; 


r 


I , 


f 


f    '! 
t  u 


I  14  DROPS    FROM    A 

Simply  hide  it.  But  the  poor  soul  is  only  self 
deceived,  is  not  in  Christ ;  and  in  the  day  that  is 
coming,  God  will  strip  off  the  hypocrite's  mask, 
and  his  hope  shall  perish.  No  soul  ever  crossed 
the  threshold  of  Christ's  kingdom  of  love  without 
settling  the  sin  question  then  and  there.  How 
is  it  settled?  By  forsaking  the  sin,  and  believ- 
ing on  the  sin-bearer.  When  we  turn  our  backs 
on  the  life  of  sin,  and  turn  our  faces,  believing, 
to  the  *  *  Lamb  of  God  who  beareth  away  the  sin 
of  the  world,"  crimson  and  scarlet  sins  are  made 
as  white  as  snow,  and  the  deadly  nightshade 
that  fell  across  our  lives  is  swept  away  by  the 
breath  of  an  eternal   day. 

Now  mark  the  result  in  this  woman's  life. 
That  morning  she  was  a  child  of  shame;  that 
evening  she  was  a  city  missionary.  She  went 
into  the  city  and  spread  far  and  wide  the  news, 
that  The  Messiah  had  come.  Out  to  the  well- 
side  came  a  throng  to  see  him,  to  hear  him, 
many  to  believe  on  him, — some  through  the 
saying  of  the  woman,  ''  He  told  me  all  that  ever 


f 


[ 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  II 5 

I  did," — and  more  through  his  own  word.  The 
life  that  had  been  a  blot  and  a  curse,  became  a 
blessing,  and  where  "Sin  abounded,  grace  did 
much  more  abound,"     Such  is  the  gift  of  God. 


r 


i  \ 


'  ■  :.t 


rj 


Il6  DROPS    FROM    A 


THE  KIND  OF  PRAYER  THAT  IS 
ANSWERED. 

Lord  teach  us  to  pray.— Luke  xi:  i, 

"LJAVE  you  ever  noticed  what  a  vast  volume 
there  is  of  so  called  prayer  to  which  God 
never  pays  any  attention  ?  Unnumbered  millions 
of  so  called  prayers  are  pigeon-holed  somewhere 
between  here  and  heaven.  Why  is  this?  Is  it 
that  God  does  not  keep  His  promises  in  which 
he  agrees  to  answer  prayer?  No!  No!  The 
fact  that  God  keeps  his  word  constitutes  the  very 
reason  why  these  prayers  are  not  answered. 

If  you  will  look  into  his  Book,  you  will  find 
that  there  is  one  kind  of  prayer  that  he  has 
promised  to  answer.  There  is  another  kind  that 
he  has  promised,  just  as  positively,  not  to 
answer.  He  keeps  his  word  in  both  cases.  Un- 
answered prayer  is  a  most  fruitful  source  of 
infidelity.       A   company  of   believers  meet  and 


1 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  11/ 

unitedly  and  repeatedly  ask  for  the  same  thing- 
for  five  years,  and  no  answer  comes.  Is  it  any 
wonder  if  the  onlooker  shall  say  "There  was 
nobody  at  the  other  end  of  the  telephone?"  On 
the  other  hand,  definite,  unmistakable  answers 
to  prayer,  compel  infidelity  to  shut  its  mouth. 
The  best  way  to  convince  the  person  who  does 
not  believe  in  prayer,  is  to  pray,  get  your  answer, 
and  show  it  to  him. 

There  is  a  vast  volume  of  prayer,  so  called, 
of  which  it  can  be  truthfully  said,  it  would  have 
been  better  for  the  glory  of  God,  for  the  persons 
who  offered  it,  and  for  the  world  around,  if  they 
had  not  wasted  their  breath.  Elijah  was  willing 
to  stake  the  reputation  of  God  on  his  faithfulness 
in  answering  prayer.  Israel  had  wandered  away 
from  God,  and  were  worshiping  Baal,  The 
'  spirit  of   the   fiery  prophet  was  stirred.      How 

shall  he  bring  them  back?  He  challenged  the 
four  hundred  and  fifty  prophets  of  Baal  to  meet 
him  in  the  presence  of  Israel  on  Carmel.  They 
came;  and  then  he  flung  at  them  the  challenge. 


"I 


T 


...f 


ii8 


DROPS    FROM    A 


■1  ■ 


1^ 


*'  I  will  pray  to  my  God ;  you  pray  to  yours ;  and 
the   God   that    answereth,    let    him    be    God." 
"  Build  you  an  altar;"— they  did.      ''  Lay  on  the 
wood  and  the  sacrifice,"— It  was  done.      ''Now 
pray."     And  from  morn  till  noon  they  cried  *'  O, 
Baal,  hear  us!     O,   Baal,  hear  us!"      But  not  a 
spark  of  fire  came.      They  grew  frenzied ;   they 
leaped  upon  the  altar ;    the  mountain  rang-  with 
their  wild  insane  cries   from  noon  till  evenino- 
''O,  Baal,  hear  us!"      At  last,    exhausted,  they 
gave  up.     Watch  now  the  prophet  of  God,  as  he 
replaces   the   stones,   the   wood,   the  sacrifice,— 
commands  a  trench  to  be  dug  round  it ;  and  then 
orders  them  to  pour  on  water  enough  to  drench 
sacrifice,  wood,  stone,  and  fill  the  trench.      See 
him  kneel   now. — One  brief   prayer,— and  from 
heaven  came  the  tongue  of  flame  that  licked  up 
sacrifice,  wood,  stone,  and  even  the  water  in  the 
trench.      He   ran    no   risk  when  he  staked  all- 
even    the    reputation    of    God,   on    his  hearing 
prayer. 

We  propose  now  to  show  what  are  the  essent- 


i 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


119 


ial  characteristics  of  the  kind  of  prayer  that  God 
answers.  They  are  seven.  We  find  the  first  in 
I  John  3:  22,  *' Whatsoever  things  we  ask  we 
receive  of  him  because  we  keep  his  command- 
ments, and  do  those  thini^s  that  are  pleasing  in 
his  sight."  The  first  essential  of  true  prayer  is 
to  be  living  in  obedience  to  God.  Imperfect 
men,  compassed  by  infirmity,  may  pray  with 
power, — but  a  disobedient  man,  never. 

A  mother  tells  her  little  cfirl  to  do  somethine. 
vShe  does  not  wish  to  obey,  and  goes  off  to  play. 
Presently,  having  forgotten  all  about  it,  she  runs 
in  :"  Mama  give  me— "  ^' Wait  my  child.  Did 
you  do  as  I  told  you?"  ''No."  "Well,  I 
cannot  grant  you  any  request  until  you  obey." 
The  child  runs  away,  and  is  soon  absorbed  again 
in  play.  During  the  day  she  comes  in  again : 
"Mama  I  want—"  "Wait  my  child.  Did 
you  do  as  I  told  you?"  "  No."  "  Well,  I  can- 
not hear  any  request  from  you  until  you  obey." 
The  mother  is  right.  She  doesn't  wish  to 
encourage  and  confirm  her  child  in  disobedience. 


T 


fri 


I  ■'  I 


'       ^h 


120  DROPS    FROM    A 

God  loves  his  children  too  much  to  encouras'e 
them  in  disobedience.  If  there  is  somethino;  he 
wants  you  to  do,  and  you  are  not  willing,  or 
something  he  wants  you  to  stop  doing,  and  you 
are  not  willing;  until  you  yield  that  point  you 
might  as  well  not  try  to  pray.  The  heavens  will 
be  brass  above  yaur  head.  Thousands  of  God's 
children  are  in  this  rut.  Don't  think  that  time 
will  make  it  all  right.  God  does  not  forget,  if 
•  I  he  has  a  controversy  with  you  you  might  as  well 

yield  first  as  last  for  God  is  a  fixture.  Why  mar 
a  life,  and  hinder  your  prayers  by  disobedience? 
The  second  essential,  I  find  in  Mark  1 1  :  24, 
''Whatsoever  things  ye  desire  when  ye  pray." 
The  emphasis  is  on  the  word  desire.  It  means, 
whatsoever  things  ye  earnestly  yearn  for.  It  is 
the  same  thing  of  which  James  speaks :  • '  The 
effectual  fervent  prayer  of  a  righteous  man;"  of 
which  Paul  speaks :  ' '  The  spirit  itself  maketh 
intercession  for  us,  with  groanings  which  cannot 
be  uttered."  We  usually  speak  of  it  as  "Being 
burdened,"    A    heaven    sent.    Spirit   born,    God 


si 


I  ^  ' ' 


fi-  *' 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  121 

wrought,  yearning- ;  and  God  never  creates  it  to 
disappoint  it. 

The     third     essential     is     also     found     in 
Mark  ii:   24.      "What  things  soever  ye  desire 
when  ye  pray,  bdicvc  that  ye  receive  them,  and 
ye  shall  have  them."     It  is  called  faith.    O,  how 
men  mystify  faith !     It  is  just  about  the  simplest 
thing  in  human  experience ;  it  is  to  ask  God  to 
do  something  that  he  has  already  promised,  and 
then  simply  expect  him  to  do  it.    Fellow  believer, 
the    next    time   that    you    find    yourself  asking 
without  expecting,  either  begin  to  expect  or  do 
not  ask.     Don't  trifle  with  God.      We  remember 
the  amusing  story  of  a  certain  woman,  the  view 
from  whose  window  was  obstructed  by  a  hill. 
She  had  heard  that  faith   would  remove  mount- 
ains.    So  at  night  she  prayed,    "God,   remove 
that    mountain."       She   rose    in    the    mornino-. 
peeped  out,  and  said,  "  It  is  there  yet,  just   as   I 
thought  it  would  be." 

The  fourth  essential  is  found  in  John  14:    14. 
"  If  ye  shall  ask  anything  in  my  name  I  will  do 


&; 


122  DROPS    FROM     A 


\  it."     PerhapvS  no  promise  in  God's  Book  is  more 

misquoted  than  this  one.  What  does  it  mean? 
A  man  is  building:  a  house ;    I  am  working  for 

'  him  ;  he  gets  his  supplies  from   a  certain  store ; 

he  sends  me  for  something.  I  go  and  say,  **I 
want  such  and  such,  in  Mr.  So  and  So's  name." 
They  understand  me  perfectly.      I   mean  that  I 

-  want  it  for  Mr.  So  and  So  to  use  in  his  work.  p 

Here* Jesus  is  building  a  house  of  living  vStones; 
it  is  to  shine  as  a  habitation  for  God  in  the  city 

I  of  light,  after  earth's  grandest  monuments  have 

"  crumbled  away ;  I  am  a  workman  in  his  employ ; 

the  supplies  come  from  the  Father.      I  go  to  the 

i  Father  and  say,    "Give  me  such  and  such,  in 

Jesus'  name."  What  do  I  mean?  Give  me  such 
and  such  for  Jesus  to  use  in  his  work.      Now, 

!  you  who  have  been  in  the  habit  of  making  all 

sorts  of  selfish  prayers  and  tacking  this  phrase, 
"In    Jesus'    name,"  to    the  end  of  them,   take 

.  notice  that  every  time  you  ask  the  Father  for 

'  something,  simply,  solely  for  yourself,   and  say 

you  want  it  "  In  Jesus'  name,"  you  tell  a  false- 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


123 


hood  whether  you  know  it  or  not.      No  selfish 
prayer  is  asked  in  Jesus'  name. 

The  fifth  essential  is  found  in  I  John  5  :  14. 
**  i\nd  this  is  the  confidence  that  we  have  in  him, 
that  if  we  ask  anything  according  to  his  will  he 
heareth  us."  ''According  to  his  will,"  is  so 
closely  allied  to  ''\xi  Jesus'  name,"  that  they 
cannot  be  separated.  All  that  is  truly  in  Jesus' 
name  will  be  according  to  his  will.  There  are 
some  prayers  to  which  we  should  add  very  par- 
ticularly, "If  it  be  thy  will;"  and  if  they  are  not 
granted  we  should  conclude  he  had  answered, 
"No."  But  there  are  some  prayers  we  can 
make  for  the  things  that  are  most  important, 
where  we  have  no  business  to  say,  "If  it  be  thy 
will."  When  I  ask  for  the  power  of  his  vSpirit; 
—for  grace  and  strength  to  do  his  will ;— I  would 
not  put  an  if  within  ten  tliousand  miles  of  that 
prayer.  God  has  told  me  so  plainly  what  his  will 
is  about  that,  that  there  is  no  if  in  the  question. 

The  sixth  essential  of  true  prayer  I  find  m 
Jude,  20th  verse.      "Praying  in  the  Holy  vSpirit." 


■  t 
r  I 


124  DROPS    FROM    A 

It   is   hard   to   make   plain    in  words  what  this 

means.     Those  who  know  in  experience  do  not 

need  any  w^ords.     A  young  lady  said  to  me,  "I 

have  been  a  praying  girl  since  childhood,  but  it 

always  seems  as  if  I  were  praying  into  thin  air, 

and   that   was   all   there    was   to   it."      That  is 

prayer  without  the  Holy  Ghost.     When  we  pray 

in  the  Holy  Ghost,  God  is  as  real  as  if  we  saw 

his    face.      We   are   as   confident    that   we   are 

speaking  our  petition  into  his  ear  as  we  could  be  j 

if   we  were  speaking   into  the  ear  of   a  visible  I 

friend.     When  the  believer  prays  in  the   Holy  • 

Spirit,  distance  is  annihilated,  and  he  bows  at  \ 

the    foot    of   the    throne,  as    near   as  seraph   or  ; 

angel.     It  is  the  secret  of  the   Lord.     You  will  J 

never  understand    it  unless  you   possess    it.       I 

would   rather    pray   five    minutes   in   the    Holy  ^ 

Ghost  than  try  to  pray  fifty  years  without   his  ) 

help. 

The  seventh  essential  is  found  in  Luke  18:1. 
"Men  ought  always  to  pray,  and  not  to  faint."  \ 

— Perseverance.     Imagine  yourself  making  calls  | 


LIVING    FOUNTAIX. 


125 


the    way   people    pray.     You   go   up  the  stoop, 
ring  the  bell,  and  before  any  one  could  get  to 
)  the  door,  you  would   be  down,  and  round  the 

corner.  When  we  pray,  having  fulfilled  the 
above  conditions  we  have  a  right  to  believe  that 
God  has  undertaken  our  matter,  and  then  wait 
for  the  answer. 

A  now  celebrated  preacher  was  converted  at 
twenty-one.     He  had  a  brother  still  outside,   a 
I  lad  of  seventeen.     He  began  to  pray  for  him. 

i  Every   morning   and    evening    for    twenty-five 

;  years,  without  intermission,  he  lifted  that  man 

up  in  prayer,  and  at  the  end  of  a  quarter  of  a 
century  there  was  no  sign  of  an  answer.  The 
brother  was  now  a  man  of  forty-two,  married, 
with  grown  up  children.  Did  he  give  it  up? 
\  He  was  preaching  in  Boston,  and  he  heard  that 

i  a  series  of  meetings  under  the  leadership  of  a 

man  of  God  was  to  be  held  in  the  western  city 
,  where  his  brother  lived.     He  wrote  to  a  friend 

;  there;    ''Go  and  see  my  brother.     Get  him  to 

i  these  meetings," — and  prayed  on.     The  friend 


'■  i 

1::  I 


:l; 


?-i. 


i:  'i 


126  DROPS    FROM     A 

did  SO.  The  brother,  his  wife,  and  his  children, 
were  all  brought  to  Christ.  We  heard  that 
preacher  say,  that  never  for  one  hour  during 
that  long  twenty-five  years,  did  he  entertain  the 
slightest  doubt  but  that  the  answer  would  come. 
We  have  tried  to  give  some  hints  from  his 
own  Word,  of  the  kind  of  prayer  that  moves  the 
arm  that  moves  the  universe.  ''Lord  teach  us 
to  pray." 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  12/ 


A  DISMAL  FAILURE  AND  ITS  CAUSE. 

Why  could  not  we  cast  him  out? — Mark  9  :  28. 

TESUS  was  on  mount  Hermon.  The  favored 
•^  three,  Peter,  James,  and  John  were  with 
him.  He  had  taken  them  there  to  give  them  a 
glimpse  of  his  future  eoming  and  kingdom. 
While  he  prayed  he  allowed  a  little  of  what  was 
within  him  to  shine  out.  The  sun  grew  pale 
beside  him.  They  saw  what  we  shall  see,  by 
and  by,  Christ  transfigured  in  glory. 

Beside  him  stood  two  men,  Moses  and  Eli  as, 
visitors  from  heaven.  Together  they  talked  of 
the  events  about  to  occur  at  Jerusalem,  which 
would  form  the  hinofe  on  which  the  ages  would 
swing.  Rash  Peter  cried,  "Lord,  it  is  good  for 
us  to  be  here  I  Let  us  make  three  tabernacles, 
one  for  thee,  one  for  Moses  and  one  for  Elias." 

Peter,  we  sympathize  with  thee  in  thy  desire, 
but  not   Jesus  on  Hermon,  between    Moses   and 


El' 

I' 


i 


I 


128  DROPS    FROM    A 

Elias,  but  Jesus  on  Calvary,  between  two  thieves, 
will  save  the  world.  He  must  leave  the  moun- 
tain top  of  glory  and  joy,  to  come  down  and  face 
once  more  the  awful  problem  of  sin. 

Coming  down  he  found  an  excited  tumultu- 
ous crowd.  A  father  had  brought  his  poor 
demon-possessed  boy  to  the  disciples.  They 
had  done  their  best  to  cast  him  out,  and  failed. 
Jesus  said,  "Bring  him  unto  me."  If  you  are  dis- 
appointed in  the  disciples,  try  the  Master.  They 
brought  him. — Jesus  spoke. — It  was  the  voice 
that  created  the  world.  The  demon  fled  ;  he  re- 
stored the  boy  to  his  father.  The  disciples  came 
privately  and  said,  "  Why  could  not  we  cast  him 
out  ?  "  His  answer  was,  "  This  kind  goeth  not 
out  but  by  prayer."     Note  this  incident. 

It  implies  first  that  men  everywhere  expect 
something  of  a  reproduction  of  Christ  in  his  dis- 
ciples. This  father  reasoned:  they  have  been 
w4th  Him  ;  whatever  the  secret  of  power  is,  they 
ought  to  know  it.  The  Christian  is  the  world's 
Bible.     However   careless  men  may  be  of  their 


fe  ■• 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  1 29 

own  conduct,  they  expect  a  Christian  to  be  like 
his  Master. 

"  Brightly  beams  our  Father's  mercy, 
From  His  lighthouse  evermore, 
But  to  us  he  gives  the  keeping, 
Of  the  lights  along  the  shore." 

"  Let  the  lower  lights  be  burning, 
Send  a  gleam  across  the  wave, 
Some  poor  fainting,  struggling  seaman. 
You  may  rescue.  You  may  save." 

If  this  reproduction  of  Christ  is  wanting  in 
his  disciples,  Christ  is  dishonored  in  the  one 
place  where  he  ought  to  be  most  honored,  and  the 
world  is  confirmed  in  its  unbelief.  "A  Christian 
is  either  a  Bible  or  a  libel."  Either  a  finger  post 
pointing  heavenward  or  a  dangerous  stumbling 
block. 

But  what  is  the  secret  of  being  like  him? 
Communion  with  him.  We  grow  like  those  with 
whom  we  associate.  If  one  man's  spirit  can  so 
mould  another,  how  much  more  can  the  over- 
shadowing of  his  spirit  mould  one  who  holds  his 
hand,  listens  for  his  whisper,  watches  his  glance, 


r 


130  DROPS    FROM    A 

and  leans  upon  his  bosom.  "  Beholding-  as  in  a 
glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  we  are  changed  into 
the  same  image,  from  glory  to  glory  even  as  by 
the  si:)irit  of  the  Lord."  This  likeness  will  es- 
pecially be  seen  in  power,  for  he  who  cast  out 
devils  has  said,  "  I  will  give  you  power  over  all 
the  power  of  the  enemy;"  that  is,  where  he  is 
strong  you  shall  be  stronger.  Do  not  be  satisfied 
with  any  thing  less  than  constant,  glorious,  ab- 
solute victory.     Its  secret  is  prayer. 


t    S 


LIVING     FOUNTAIN. 


lU 


THE  MAN  WHO  INTRODUCED  JESUvS  TO 

THE  WORLD. 

John  the  Baptist  preaching  and  saying,  "For  this  is  He." 

Matthew  3:  1-3. 

JOHN  the  Baptist  stands  in  history  as  a  soli- 
•^  tary,  unique  figure.  The  world  has  not  seen 
his  like.  A  peculiar  age,  a  peculiar  mission,  a 
peculiar  message,  and  a  peculiar  man,  he  bursts 
upon  the  page  of  history  like  a  meteor;  stirs  the 
land  for  a  while  with  his  burning  message,  and 
disappears  almost  as  suddenly.  He  is  the 
morning  star  of  the  Christian  dispensation. 
Whenever  we  contemplate  his  character,  Jesus' 
estimate  of  him  comes  first  to  mind.  He  said, 
''Among  them  that  are  born  of  women  there 
hath  not  risen  a  greater."  Zeal,  strength,  and 
humility  are  wondrously  combined  in  this  great 
man.  Zeal  that  was  quenchless;  strength  equally 
unflinching    before    peasant    or  king;    humility 


is 


tr 


1^2 


DROPS    FROM    A 


that  felt  *'  Unworthy  to  loose  the  lachet,"  of  his 
Master's  shoes,  but  cried,  ''He  must  increase, 
but  I  must  decrease."  He  went  not  into  the 
cities  to  find  an  audience,  but  erecting  his  pulpit 
in  the  wilderness,  preached  so  that  the  cities 
turned  out  to  hear  him. 

His  message  was  fourfold.  He  preached  re- 
pentance, crying,  -Repent,  for  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  at  hand."  He  preached  the  atone- 
ment, crying,  -Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  that 
beareth  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  He 
preached  the  coming  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  for,  he 
said,  "He  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy 
Ghost;"  and  he  preached  a  coming  judgment, 
crying,  "  Whose  fan  is  in  his  hand,  and  he  will 
thoroughly  purge  his  floor,  and  will  gather  his 
wheat  into  his  garner,  but  the  chaff  he  will  burn 
with  fire  unquenchable." 

Mark  how  the  gospel  is  outlined  in  this  four- 
fold message.  He  first  deals  with  the  attitude 
of  men  toward  God.  He  found  men  as  the 
servant  of  God  ever  finds  them,  by  nature,  with 


f 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  133 

"Their  backs  turned  toward  God."  He  cried, 
''Repent,"  that  is,  change  your  mind,  turn 
round,  reverse  your  decisions.  This  is  the  first 
essential  on  man's  part  for  salvation.  To  those 
who  turned  he  said,  pointing  to  Jesus,  "  Behold 
the  Lamb  of  God,  which  beareth  away  the  sin 
of  the  world."  That  is  to  say,  they  having  re- 
pented of  sin,  he  pointed  them  to  him  who  could 
take  away  sin.  It  is  not  enough  to  turn  from 
sin,  the  penitent  one  must  believe  on  the  sin 
bearer.  The  face  that  is  turned  from  sin  in 
abhorrence  must  be  turned  to  Christ  in  faith.  I 
look  from  my  sins  to  the  one  who  bore  them,  and 
in  him  behold  my  salvation. 

Then  comes  the  third  message:  "He  shall 
baptize  you  with  the  Holy  vSpirit." — Christ's 
atoning  work  as  the  Lamb  of  God,  was  done  for 
us  centuries  before  we  were  born.  The  first 
news  7cv  heard  was,  "It  is  finished."  But 
Christ's  work  in  us  and  upon  us,  in  baptizing 
with  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  a  present  work  in  our 
experience,   in    which   we   co-oj^erate,   by    faith, 


T 


134 


DROPS    FROM    A 


I' 


■ 


while  he  works  in  us,  ''To  will  and  to  do  of  his 
good  pleasure."  So  we  are  taught  to  look  to 
Jesus,  not  alone  as  a  sin  bearer,  but  as  a  lovine 
life  giver  through  the  Holy  Spirit.  Blessed  are 
they  who  through  the  open  door  of  his  atoning 
work,  enter  thus  upon  the  life  that  is  life  indeed. 

John's  fourth  message  pointed  away  to  the 
beyond.  Leaping  over  the  eighteen  wide 
centuries  that  have  passed  since  his  head  fell 
off  to  gratify  a  woman's  rage,  his  message  por- 
trays in  vivid  outline  the  scenes  of  a  coming  day. 
The  harvest  has  been  gathered.  The  Lord  of 
the  harvest  stands  with  fan  in  hand  winnowin<>- 
the  grain.  There  is  a  separation,  solemn  and 
final.  The  wheat  is  gathered  for  the  Harvest 
Home  of  heaven,  the  chaff  is  burned  and  the 
ages  to  come  are  ushered  in. 

O,  lonely  wilderness  prophet,  with  thy 
hermit  garb,  though  thou  wast  only  a  voice,  the 
echoes  of  that  voice  still  break  on  every  shore, 
and  will,   till  all   be  fulfilled! 


/ 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN, 


135 


THE   HIGH    WATER   MARK   OF  CHRIST- 
IAN   EXPERIENCE. 

Ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. — Acts  2  :  38. 

/^NE  of  Satan's  clever  tricks,  is  to  lead  the 
believer  to  accept  only  a  fragment  of  the 
gospel  for  the  whole  of  it.  It  greatly  dishonors 
God  to  believe  less  than  he  has  said.  Two  great 
promises  appear  in  the  Old  Testament,  to  be  ful- 
filled in  the  latter  day.  They  rise  above  all  the 
other  promises  in  the  Hebrew  prophets,  like 
Alpine  peaks  above  the  foot  hills  round  their 
base.  The  first  was  that  the  j\Iessiah  would 
come,  the  second,  that  after  his  coming  God 
would  pour  out  his  Spirit  in  a  very  wonderful 
way;  and  would,  through  his  spirit,  come  into  a 
closeness  of  relation  with  the  spirit  of  man, 
unknown  before  in  the  world's  history. 

The  first  of  these  was  fulfilled  when  "God 
was  manifest  in  the  flesh,  justihed  in  the  Spirit, 


i 


■I!. 


I 


'I 


1.'    ;  .!!   i 


136  DROPS    FROxM    A 


seen  of  angels,  preached  unto  the  Gentiles, 
believed  on  in  the  world,  received  up  into 
glory."  Ten  days  after  this  "Receiving  up"  the 
second  promise  began  to  be  fulfilled,  when 
through  the  ascended  Saviour  the  Holy  Spirit 
was  poured  out  upon  the  disciples.  We  well 
remember  the  story.  The  upper  room, — the 
hundred  and  twenty,— the  days  of  prayer, — the 
awful  hour,  when,  like  a  rushing  mighty  wind 
from  heaven  the  Spirit  came, — the  tongues  of 
fire, — the  multitude  of  languages, — and  Peter's 
sermon ;  the  first  sermon  ever  preached  on  this 
planet,  in  which  an  enthroned  Christ  was  pre- 
sented to  men  for  their  acceptance. 

Out  from  that  upper  room  came  one  hundred  I 

and  twenty  men  and  women,  ''  Of  like  passions  1 

with  us,"  but  filled  and  fired  with  a  conscious-  | 

ness  of  Christ's  indwelling  almightiness  which  >| 

rendered   them   invincible.  I 

Now,  too  many  make  the  forgiveness  of  sin 
the  supreme  blessing,  the  high  water  mark  of 
divine    grace    in   the   believer's   life.     We  mark 


! .  •  n. 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


137 


A 


Peter's  words,  when  they  asked,  "What  shall 
we  do?"  He  said,  "Repent,  and  be  baptized 
every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  for 
the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Did  he  make  the 
forgiveness  of  sins  the  climax  of  blessing?  No, 
No !  He  mentioned  it  as  a  part  of  the  gospel, 
but  pausing  not  a  moment  on  this  threshold  of 
blessing  he  rushed  on  to  the  climax,  "The  gift 
of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

The  forgiveness  of  sins  is  but  God  removino- 

o 

the  rubbish  of  the  past  from  between  the  soul 
and  himself,  and  readjusting  the  soul's  relation 
with  himself.  The  forgiveness  of  sins  must 
come  first,  in  order  to  bless  as  he  desires,  but  do 
not  make  a  goal  of  what  God  intended  as  only  a 
half  way  house.  Jesus'  purpose  in  dying  for  us 
was  that  he  might  live  in  us.  The  normal 
Christian  life  is  that  of  a  soul,  not  simply  for- 
given, but  "  Filled  with  all  the  fullness  of  God:" 
so  permeated  and  interpenetrated  by  him  that 
the  soul  can  say   "Christ  liveth   in  me;"   "For 


I 


ii: 


!.   I  ■ 


138  DROPS    FROM    A 

to  me  to  live  is  Christ."     A  soul  may  be  forgiven 

and  still  be  powerless  and  almost  useless.     Jesus 

promises  that  his  ehildren  shall  be  elothed  with  a  i 

divine  power  as  gentle  as  it  is  mighty,  as  secret 

as  it  is  strong;    which  will  make  one  count  more 

than  many ;  which  will  bear  our  lives  onward  on 

the  sweet  flood  tide  of  God's  will  in  a  way   that  ^ 

will  give  great  satisfaction  to  us,  as  well  as  great  t 


f  ;i|  joy  to  him.     Fellow  Christian,  have  you  believed 

this?  Have  you  sought  it?  Have  you  claimed  it 
as  your  right,  just  as  you  claim  forgiveness  of 
sin,  or  a  place  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life?  Have 
you   •eceived  it? 

'  '  Child  of  the  kingdom  be  filled  with  the  Spirit. 

Nothing  but  fullness  your  longing  can  meet." 


What  is  needed  in  all  Christian  circles  is  not 
better  machinery,  but  more  steam  in  the  boiler ; 
not  a  better  ship  but  the  gale  from  heaven  to  fill 
the  sails ;  not  a  better  gospel,  but  a  return  to  the 
whole  gospel  that  flowed  of  old,  "Like  living 
water  from  Jerusalem."  Drummond  has  well 
said,  ''What  is  needed  is,  first,  not  more  Christ- 


's 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


139 


ians  but  a  better  brand.  There  is  nothing  in  the 
realm  of  character  or  service  that  lies  beyond 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 


140  DROPS    FROM    A 


ARE  WE  RESPONSIBLE  FOR  EACH 

OTHER? 

Am  I  my  brother's  keeper  ? — Genesis,  4  :  9. 

T^HE  word  of  God  answers  two  great  questions, 
man's  relation  to  his  Maker,  and  man's 
relation  to  liis  brother.  It  is  the  second  of  these 
that  is  raised  in  the  question  which  we  quote 
from  the  very  dawn  of  history.  We  have  no 
desire  to  ask  it  in  the  spirit  in  which  Cain  spoke ; 
for  when  he  lifted  his  impudent  face  to  God  and 
said  these  words  he  w^ell  knew  that  his  brother 
had  fallen  a  victim  beneath  his  murderous  hand. 
But  without  reference  to  him  let  us  ask  the 
question  honestly  and  thoughtfully,  *'Am  I  my 
brother's   keeper?" 

Satan  says,  **  No,  What  your  brother  does  is 

none  of  your  business,  what  you  do  is  none  of 

his.       Look    out    for   number    one.       Let   your 

I  brother  take  care  of  himself."     Did  Jesus  do  so? 


:^ 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


141 


It  is  written,  ''Even  Christ  pleased  not  himself." 
Not  only  was  it  true  of  Jesus,  but  of  every 
person  who  has  truly  followed  him  that  they 
were  deeply  solicitous  for  the  welfare  of  others. 
If  your  rule  is,  "Look  out  for  number  one,"  ivdl, 
but  do  not  call  yourself  a  follower  of  the  Man  of 
Nazareth.  The  man  who  looks  out  for  number 
one,  a  follower  of  one  who  left  a  heavenly  throne 
and  died  between  two  thieves,  to  save  a  world? 
It  is  unthinkable.  Let  us  see  if  we  can  formulate 
a  rule  then  in  accord,  not  with  the  maxims  of 
earth,  but  of  heaven. 

Every  man  is  responsible  for  the  highest 
welfare,  that  is,  for  the  salvation,  of  his  brother, 
just  in  so  far  as  he  has  power  to  further  it.  No 
man  is  absolutely  responsible  for  another's  salva- 
tion, for  no  man  has  absolute  power  to  bring  it 
about.  But  just  in  so  far  as  it  is  in  our  power  to 
further  it,  high  Heaven  holds  us  responsible; 
and  only  when  we  have  done  our  most  and  best 
are  our  hands  clean.     But  how? 

We    owe    it  first  to  our  brother,  to  so  live 


I     :, 


142  DROPS    FROM    A 

before  him  that  the  salvation  of  God  will  need 
no  further  recommendation.  This  is  the  least 
we  can  do  to  pay  rent  for  the  room  we  occupy  in 
he  Church  of  God.  Nor  can  anything  be  sub- 
stituted for  it.  Large  gifts  will  not  atone  for 
crooked  living.    The  first  contribution  God  wants 

from   every  man   toward  a   world's  salvation  is 

•'Ml  :ii'  ' 

Ijfij!  that  he  be  a  good  man.      But  though  this  is  the 

first  contribution  it  is  not  all  we  owe  him. 

We  should  not  only  live  right  before  our 
brother  and  toward  him,  but  pray  in  faith  for 
him.  The  ministry  of  intercession  is  wofully 
neglected.  The  privilege  of  conference  with 
God,  for  man,  is  not  grasped  by  us  constantly 
and  eagerly.  God's  willing  ear  often  waits  when 
nothing  is  poured  into  it. 

But  we  have  not  done  all  when  we  have  given 
him  a  good  example  and  prayed  for  him.  It  is 
ours  to  tell  him  what  we  have  found,  and  how 
we  have  found  it.  Spirit  inspired  testimony 
concerning  Jesus  has  been  the  flame  that  has 
^  lighted    the    world    thus    far.      At    Pentecost, 


if. 


fH 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


143 


tongues  of  fire  sat  upon  each  of  them,  meet 
symbol  of  the  chosen  method  by  which  the 
knowledge  of  his  name  should  fly.  The  believer 
who  will  live  as  he  ought,  pray  as  he  is  privi- 
leged to  pray,  and  speak  of  Jesus  as  the  vSpirit 
will  enable  him,  will  be  indeed  his  brother's 
keeper,  and  that  not  in  vain.  He  will  earn  for 
himself  that  which  is  promised.  "  They  that  be 
wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firma- 
ment, and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness 
as  the  stars,  forever  and  ever." 


'^'ii 


(  '     ! 


ii? 


l!   I 


!l 


hi 


i 


144  DROPS    FROM    A 


LOVE'S  COURSE. 

As  the  Father  hath  loved  me,  so  have  I  loved  you: 
continue  ye  in  my  love.— John  15:9. 

This  is  my  commandment,  That  ye  love  one  another, 
as  I  have  loved  you. — John  15:  12. 

By  this  shall  men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples,  if  ye 
have  love  one  to  another. — John  13:  35. 

Beloved,  if  God  so  loved  us,  we  ought  also  to  love  one 
another. — I  John  4:  11. 

T  ET  us  mark  the  progress  of  thought  in  the 
verses  quoted  above.  It  begins  on  the 
plane  of  the  unseen  and  infinite  and  ends  in  the 
visible  plane  of  our  daily  lives.  First,  Jesus 
says,  *'As  the  Father  hath  loved  me,  so  have  I 
loved  you."  Note  the  '*  as"  and  **  so,"  think  of 
the  Father's  love  to  him.  For  ages  the  eyes  of 
God  had  scanned  this  world  for  an  object  on 
which  his  love  could  rest  without  mingling  of 
pain.  At  last,  on  Jordan's  bank,  there  stands  a 
man.  In  him  the  Father's  eye  can  see  no  flaw: 
his  devotion  is  perfect :  his  spirit  is  sinless :  he  is 
unspotted.     God  could  not  be  silent:  lie  broke 


\ 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  1 45 

the  stillness  of  ages,  and  men  heard  him  say, 
'•This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased."  During  his  ministry  Christ  could  say, 
"I  do  always  those  things  that  please  him." 
Perfect  love  found  a  perfect  object  and  rested  in 
perfect  complacency  on  him. 

But  now  Jesus  is  going  away. — The  disciples 
are  gathered  about  him. — Hear  what  he  says  to 
them.  "As  my  Father  hath  loved  me,  so  have 
I  loved  you."  Fellow  believer,  you  and  I  belong 
to  that  circle.  We  too  share  that  assurance. 
A  moment  later  he  said,  "  This  is  my  command- 
ment. That  ye  love  one  another  as  I  have  loved 
you."  Here,  then,  is  the  course  of  love; — the 
Father  loved  the  son ;  the  Son  in  turn  poured 
this  wealth  of  love  upon  us ;  we  in  turn  are  to 
love  one  another  as  he  loved  us. — Three  falls  in 
the  mighty  cascade  of  divine  affection. 

Now,  John  the  apostle  of  love,  argues  thus  in 
his  epistle:  "Beloved,  if  God  so  loved  us,  we 
ought  also  to  love  one  another."  Aly  obligation 
to  love  my  brother  is  not  born  of  my  brother's 


146 


DROPS    FROM    A 


ft 


t 

|- 

i 


i 


love  to  me,  but  of  Christ's  love  to  me.  Freely 
have  I  received,  freely  must  I  give.  But  it  could 
have  been  written,  not  only,  ''If  God  so  loved 
us,  we  ought  also  to  love  one  another,"  but  also, 
*'If  God  so  loved  us,  we  can  so  love  one  another." 
For  it  is  the  fact  that  he  so  loved  us  that  makes 
it  possible  for  us  to  love  one  another.  Would 
you  learn  to  love  those  around  you  ?  You  cannot 
do  it  by  trying.  Go  sit  at  Jesus'  feet ;  let  him 
love  you ;  drink  in  his  love ;  walk  in  it  as  you 
would  in  the  sunshine;  and  your  heart  will 
kindle,  and  in  being  loved  you  will  learn  to  love 
as  he  loves.  One  step  further.  ''  By  this  shall 
all  mea  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples,  if  ye  have 
love  one  to  another."  God  is  love:  Christ  is  a 
God  of  love  manifest ;  the  Christian  is  a  Christ  of 
love,  manifest  through  one  in  whom  he  dwells. 

This  poor  broken-hearted  world  is  hungry 
for  love.  Men  have  more  knowledge  than  they 
know  how  to  use  rightly,  but  love  can  find  a 
ready  market  on  any  continent,  on  any  shore,  in 
any  stratum  of  society.  Do  not  fear  that  you  will 


!  I 


I 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


147 


be  misunderstood.  Love  can  be  translated  into 
all  languages,  will  win  its  way  where  all  else 
fails,  will  convince  where  logic  would  be  de- 
spised and  will  introduce  the  brightness  of 
heaven  into  the  darkest  spot  of  earth's  night. 
"  Beloved  let  us  love  one  another." 


148 


DROPS    FROM    A 


I 


i 

'"V 

li 


A  MAN  WITH  AN  EXPERIENCE. 

One  thing  I  know,  that  whereas  I  was  blind  now  I  see. 

John  9 :  25. 

TESUS  passing  from  the  temple  saw  a  man 
-^  who  had  been  blind  from  his  birth.  The 
disciples  raised  a  foolish  question  as  to  the  cause 
of  his  blindness.  Jesus  did  not  explain  the 
cause,  but  took  occasion  to  remark  that  it  was  an 
opportunity  to  manifest  the  power  of  God. — We 
do  not  remember  that  Jesus  ever  wasted  a 
sentence  theorizing  about  the  origin  of  evil ;  he 
came  to  save  us  from  evil. — He  then  made  clay 
and  anointed  the  blind  man's  eyes,  then  told 
him  to  go  to  the  pool  of  Siloam  and  wash. 

Let  us  look  at  this  case  as  it  now  stands. 
Jesus  had  aroused  his  expectation  by  what  he 
had  done,  and  by  the  command  he  had  given. 
The  man's  part  was  very  simple,  obedience  only. 
Let  us  meet  him  on  the  way.  "What  is  on  your 
eyes?"     *'Clay."     ''Who   put   it  there?"     ''A 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  149 

man  called  Jesus."  ''Where  are  you  going?" 
"To  the  pool  of  Siloam  to  wash."  ''What  for?" 
*'I  expect  to  receive  my  sight."  "Can  you 
explain  how  putting  clay  on  your  eyes  and  wash- 
ing it  off  again  can  give  sight  to  a  man  born 
blind?"  "  No  sir,  I  do  not  pretend  to  explain 
it.  He  put  clay  on  my  eyes.  He  told  me  to 
wash.  It  is  my  business  to  obey.  It  is  his 
business  to  give  me  my  sight."  If  that  man  had 
gone  in  simple  faith  to  the  pool  of  Siloam,  and 
obeyed  Jesus'  bidding  and  had  not  received 
sight,  whose  fault  would  it  have  been?  We 
answer,  reverently,  but  the  logic  of  the  case  is 
irresistible,  Jesus'  fault.  When  the  man  obeyed, 
Jesus,  and  he  alone,  was  responsible  for  the 
result. 

Bui;  this  is  a  parable  as  well  as  a  miracle. 
The  man  born  blind  is  a  picture ;  for  every  man 
is  born  blind.  The  message  of  salvation  from 
the  blindness  of  sin  comes  in  the  form  of  a 
command.  We  say  it  boldly,  when  the  sinner 
obeys    the   command    of   Jesus    Christ,  Christ  i.s 


150 


DROPS    FROM    A 


Fil 


I     .'I 


responsible  for  his  salvation.  When  we  have 
repented  and  believed  on  him  according  to  his 
word,  the  responsibility  for  our  salvation  has,  in 
the  highest  sense,  passed  out  of  our  hands  and 
into  his  forever. 

A  Swiss  guide,  was  climbing  a  steep  cliff 
with  a  traveler.  At  a  dangerous  point  the 
traveler  began  to  look  down.  The  guide  shout- 
ed, firmly,  ''Look  up!  Place  your  foot  there. — 
Now  there. — Now  place  it  in  my  hand. — Now  on 
that  rock."  A  moment  more  and  they  were  safe 
at  the  top.  Then  said  the  guide,  ''For  a 
quarter  of  a  century  I  have  guided  travelers  up 
this  cliff,  and  I  have  never  lost  a  man  who  did  as 
I  told  him."  Fellow  sinner,  Jesus  Christ  has 
been  guiding  souls  from  the  darkness  of  sin  into 
the  light  of  his  kingdom  of  grace  for  more  than 
eighteen  hundred  years,  and  he  has  never  lost  a 
soul  who  did  as  he  told  him. 

Jesus  Christ  is  willing,  yea,  glad,  to  be  re- 
sponsible forever  for  the  salvation  of  every  one 
who  will  obey.     Obeying  him,  we  can  say. 


i 


w 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


151 


"  I  am  safe  in  the  ark,  and  I  dread  not  the  storm  ; 
Thou  art  around  me,  the  surges  may  roll ; 
I  will  look  to  the  skies  where  the  day  never  dies, 
And  sing  of  the  joy  in  my  soul." 

Note  that  this  man's  cure  cost  him  nothing. 
All  Christ's  gifts  are  free.  But  though  it  cost 
him  nothing  to  be  cured  it  soon  cost  him  much 
to  confess  it.  The  enemies  of  Jesus  gathered 
round  him,  questioned  him,  tried  to  puzzle  him, 
and  almost  succeeded.  They  asked  him  ques- 
tions he  could  not  answer;  but  there  was  one 
thing  they  could  not  rub  out  of  his  life,  and  on 
that  he  took  his  stand,  saying,  "One  thing  I 
know,  that  whereas  I  was  blind,  now  I  see."  It 
is  the  argument  of  experience.  I  know  what 
Christ  has  done  for  me.  One  moment  of  exper- 
ience is  worth  more  to  assure  the  soul  than  a 
century  of  theory  and  opinion.  It  is  a  truism, 
yet  one  pregnant  with  meaning,  concerning 
these  things,  ''If  you  know  them,  you  know 
them.     If  you  don't,   you  don't." 

But  they  cast  him  out.  Jesus  heard  it.  He 
sought  him  the  second  time. — The  man  who  is 


152  DROPS    FROM    A 

willing  to  lose  his  standing  for  Christ's  sake  is 

never  forgotten. — He  said  to  him,  ''Dost  thou 

believe   on   the   Son    of   God?"     **  Who  is   he, 

Lord,  that  I  might  believe  on  him?  "     And  then 

Jesus   revealed    himself.       The    second   gift   he 

received,  as  the  result  of  confessing  Christ,  was 

as  m'lch  richer  than  the  first,  as  heaven  is  richer 

jj  than  earth.     Yea,  as  much  richer  as  eternity  is 

j:  longer  than  time.     Blessed  are  they,  who,  in  the 

^',|j    :  midst  of  surrounding  unbelief  can  look  into  his 

i  j  ;  face  and  say,  "  One  thing  I  know." 


,    '  i 


'  ,  > 


1 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


153 


A  SERMON  WITHOUT  WORDS. 

He  riseth  from  supper,  and  laid  aside  his  garments; 
and  took  a  towel,  and  girded  himself. 

After  that  he  poureth  water  into  a  basin  and  began  to 
wash  the  disciples  feet,  and  to  wipe  them  with  the  towel 
wherewith  he  was  girded.— John  13:4,  5. 

TT  is  a  room  in  Jerusalem.  Thirteen  men  are 
reclining  on  couches  in  oriental  fashion 
round  a  table  on  which  a  supper  is  spread.  They 
are  Jesus  and  his  twelve  apostles.  They  have 
been  walking  all  the  afternoon,  and  are  tired 
now ;  but  before  they  eat,  one  thing  is  necessary 
for  their  comfort.  Each  one  has  slipped  the 
sandals  from  his  otherwise  bare  feet  as  he 
entered  the  door :  but  the  feet  are  tired  and  dust- 
stained.  It  is  the  servants'  place  to  wash  them ; 
but  there  are  no  servants.  This  company  con- 
stitutes a  little  commonwealth  in  which  all  are 
equal.  Who  will  do  it  before  they  eat?  The 
question  was  in  every  mind.     Not  one  forgot  it. 


r 


! 


■(   ! 


154 


DROPS    FROM    A 


;!  1    . 


,i-i ' 


U  !;J 


I!  I 


■hi 


^\li'^   ' 


/; 


I 


I 


n 


As  soon  would  one  forget  to  offer  a  stranger  a 
seat,  when  he  entered  his  home,  as  an  Oriental 
would  forget  this  necessity.  You  can  almost 
read  their  thoughts.  Peter  is  saying,  "  It's  not 
my  place,  I  am  a  sort  of  leader  in  this  band," 
Judas  is  saying,  "It's  not  mine,  I  am  treasurer," 
John,  perhaps,  "  It's  not  mine,  I  am  the  Lord's 
favorite  apostle." 

Presently  Jesus  rose,  and  laid  down  his  outer 
garment.  Perhaps  they  thought  he  was  going 
to  preach.  Yes,  verily,  and  a  sermon  without 
words  that  none  present  would  ever  forget.  He 
goes  to  the  corner  of  the  room,  takes  a  towel, 
ties  one  end  around  his  waist  as  a  servant  would, 
takes  up  the  big  water  pitcher  which  always 
stood  in  a  Jewish  chamber,  pours  some  water 
into  a  basin,  carries  the  basin  to  the  foot  of  one 
of  the  couches,  kneels,  gently  takes  first  one  foot 
and  then  the  other,  washes  and  wipes  them. 
See  the  flushed  faces.  Read  their  thoughts. 
"  Well,  I'd  have  done  it  rather  than  to  have  had 
the  Lord  do  it." 


:| 


I 


! 

I 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  1 55 

He  went  round  the  twelve.  Peter  raised  an 
objection  but  was  overruled.  He  comes  to 
Judas.  What  will  he  do?  He  knows  that  man 
is  bargaining  noiv  to  sell  him  unto  death.  This 
old  world  has  been  reeking  with  wrong  for  six 
thousand  years,  but  it  never  furnished  a  mate 
for  that  man.  See  Jesus  kneel  at  his  feet,  and 
as  gently  and  kindly  as  he  washed  the  feet  of 
John  the  beloved,  he  washes  his.  Judas,  it's  your 
last  chance.  The  Sun  of  Righteousness  in 
mighty  love  is  shining  full  upon  you  now ;  the 
reign  of  grace  for  you  is  nearly  over.  Had  the 
ofrced  of  ofold  not  cankered  his  soul  luitil  the 
likeness  of  the  devil  had  taken  the  place  of  tlic 
likeness  of  God  he  would  have  risen  from  that 
couch,  fallen  prostrate  at  Jesus'  feet  and  con- 
fessed all.  The  work  is  done :  the  towel  is  laid 
a'  ie :  he  takes  his  garment  and  is  seated.  It  is 
time  to  speak.  "  Ye  call  me  Master,  and  Lord, 
auvl  ye  say  well,  for  so  I  am.  If  I  tlien,  your 
Lord  and  }^Iaster  have  washed  your  feet,  ye 
ought  also  to   wash   one  another's   feet.       For  I 


i 


'If     •"' 


156  DROrS    FROM    A 

I 

have  given  you  an  example,  that  ye  should  do  as 
,  I  have  done  to  you." 

The  lesson  was  not  lost :   twenty  years  later, 

■  writing  his  epistle,  Peter  says,  *♦  Gird  yourselves 

■  with  humility."      No  comment  is  needed.      In 

Peter's  memory  there  hung  a  picture  of  a  man, 
towel-girded,  with  dripping  arms,  washing  his 

^,!||  feet.     That  man  now  sits  at  God's  right  hand. 

li  j  What  now  of  our  notion  about  the  highest  place? 

The  humblest  place  is  nearest  heaven.       Love 
only  seeks  to  serve. 


1- 


■    « 


1 


1 


as 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


157 


er, 
^es 
In 
m, 
lis 
id. 
e? 
ve 


AFTER   DEATH   WHAT  ? 

And  it  came  to  pass  that  the  beggar  died,  and  was 
carried  by  the  angels  into  Abraham's  bosom  ;  the  rich 
man  also  died,  and  was  buried. — Luke  16:  22. 

VyE  stand  beside  an  open  grave.  Questions 
arise  that  will  not  down.  Where?  What? 
When?  Shall  we  see  them  again?  Close  the 
Bible,  and  you  may  search  from  heaven's 
highest  star  to  earth's  lowest  depth  and  you  will 
find  neither  in  height  nor  depth  whisper  of 
reply.  The  future  life  is  absolutely  a  thing  of 
revelation.  Let  us  glance  at  five  things  revealed 
about  the  life  that  lies  beyond  the  grave  and 
the   resurrection. 

There  is  a  future  life  for  every  soul.  ''AH  that 
are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice  and  come 
forth."  Every  being  that  ever  bore  God's  image 
on  this  earth  shall  rise  from  the  grave.  Many 
wish  they  could  die  as  the  beasts  die,  simply 
because  they  have  lived  as  the  beasts  live.     That 


i 


'I; 


'  1 


158  DROPS    FROM    A 

cannot  be.  No  grave  can  be  sunk  beneath  the 
hearing  of  His  voice.  Though  our  ashes  be 
scattered  on  the  wings  of  the  wind,  when  the 
search  warrant  of  the  resurrection  is  issued  from 
the  throne  it  will  find  them.  This  life  at 
longest  is  but  the  first  short  chapter  of  our 
existence. 

In  that  future  life  there  will  be   two  distinct 

states.       One   of   happiness,    the    other   of   woe. 

Jesus    taught    this.       He    never    juggled    with 

!  words.— He  knew  well  that  the  faith  of  unborn 

,[  millions  would  hang  on  what  he  said  about  the 

^^       ^  unseen   future.— Hear  him:    "The  beggar  died 

tj  ''ind  was  carried  by  the  angels  unto  Abraham's 

^  bosom.     The  rich  man  also  died  and  was  buried ; 

V       '   i  ^^^    in    hell   he   lifted   up    his    eyes,    being   in 

torment."     ''Figures  of  speech  "  you  say.    Well, 

what  do  they  mean?     If  language  can  convey 

!  '  any  impression,  they  mean  what  we  have  stated 

,  above.— Two  states,  one  of  happiness,  the  other 

|f  of  woe. 

I  Again,  the  Scriptures  reveal  that  these  two 


:  J   ' 


I 


« 


[ 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN.  159 

statevS  arc  fixed.  Hear  him  again:  "Between 
us  and  you  there  is  a  great  gulf  fixed."  We 
tread  softly  here.  We  dare  not  say  a  word 
beyond  what  He  has  said. — We  dare  not  say  less. 
The  tenderest  heart  that  ever  beat,  yea,  the 
heart  that  bled  for  the  world,  spoke  these  words 
with  all  the  authority  of  God.  We  bow  the  knee 
to  their  imperial  sway  and  fearlessly  proclaim 
this  as  a  part  of  his  truth. 

Again,  the  Scriptures  reveal  that  in  the  life 
to  come  there  will  be  a  distinct  and  vivid  memory 
of  tJic  things  of  tliis  life.  Hear  the  word  spoken 
to  the  rich  man  in  hell:  **Son,  remember  that 
thou  in  thy  life  time  receivedst  thy  good  things, 
and  likewise  Lazarus  evil  things ;  but  now  he  is 
comforted,  and  thou  art  tormented."  The 
question  is  asked,  "Shall  we  forget  anything?" 
Just  as  a  drowning  person  suddenly  sees  the 
entire  panorama  of  his  past  life  in  a  moment, 
how  easy  for  God,  by  one  flash  of  judgment 
light,  to  make  man's  memory  to  become  God's 
"  Book  of  Remembrance." 


ll' 


I      I 


1 60 


DROPS    FROM    A 


!' 


Again,  The  li^rougs  of  this  world  will  be  righted 
there.     No  thoiigrhtful  soul  can  fail   to  feel  that 
the  condition  of  things  here  demands,  if  God  is 
jnst,   a  judgment  day,  and  a  hereafter.      Once 
more,  the  Scriptures  teach  us  that  if  we  believe 
not  the  testimony  that  is  given,  we  would  not 
believe  if  friends  rose  from  the  dead.       "  But," 
says  some  one,   -If  my  father  came  back  and 
told  me  it  was   so."— Would  you  believe  your 
father  before    you    would    God?      The  light  is 
sufficient.     Faith  asks  no  more.     Mysteries  there 
are,  but  the  mighty  outlines  of  the  hills  of  the 
future  are  marked  off  by  the  Son  of  God,  and 
through     the     telescope    of    his    promises    his 
children   walk,    by    faith   of  joys   to   come. 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


I6l 


ON  A  MOUNTAIN  WITH  JESUS. 

And  Jesus  came  and  spake  unto  them,  saying,  All 
power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth. 

Go  ye  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them 
in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost: 

Teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have 
commanded  you:  and,  lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even 
unto  the  end  of  the  world.— Matthew  28:  iS-20. 

^HERE  are  mountain  tops  in  Galilee  and  Judea 
around  which  unspeakable  memories  hang : 
Hermon,  Hattin,  Calvary,  Olivet.  But  there  is 
a  mountain  somewhere  in  Galilee,  we  know  not 
where,  where  Jesus  made  an  appointment  to 
meet  the  eleven  before  his  final  departure  from 
this  world.  There  he  gave  them  the  marching 
orders  of  the  church  for  the  coming  centuries. 
The  view  we  get  from  that  hill,  through  his 
words,  is  world  wide,  and  age   long.      We  will 


1 62 


DROPS    FROM    A 


I 


note  only  four  things  in  the  saying,  which  may 
be  regarded  as  Jesus'  solemn  "Good  night"  to 
his  disciples. 

First,  the  Christian's  starting  point — an 
enthroned  Christ. — "All  authority  is  given  unto 
me  in  heaven  and  on  earth."  No  person  is  fit 
to  work  for  God  amid  the  shifting  changes  of 
this  world,  who  is  not  first  anchored  to  an  eter- 
nal Throne.  A  deep  sense  of  the  kingship  of 
Christ  is  one  of  the  first  essentials  in  the  furnish- 
ing of  a  Christian.  Christ  is  a  king.  One  little 
province,  called  Earth,  in  his  empire  is  in  re- 
bellion. The  king  could  crush  the  rebellion 
easier  than  a  giant  could  crush  an  insect ;  but  he 
desires  to  make  the  rebellion  an  ocasion  to  man- 
ifest, not  simply  his  power,  but  also  his  grace ; 
so  he  is  dealing  gently  with  the  rebels,  offering 
them  terms  which  include  pardon,  restoriticn, 
yea,  even  crowns  of  life.  Let  him  who  would 
work  for  God  be  filled  with  this  idea;  that  while 
Christ  is  a  king  of  grace,  he  is  none  the  less  a 
kinof.     This  alone  enables  the  servant  of  God  to 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


163 


weigh  earth's  proud  trifles  in  heaven's  perfect 
balance. 

But  he  also  gives  us  the  believer's  outlook. 
''  Go  and  make  disciples  of  all  nations."     A  par- 
liament of  religions  forsooth  !     When  did  Jesus 
offer    to    divide    this   world   with    Mohammed, 
Buddha,  Confucius  or  anybody  else  ?     ' '  He  tasted 
death  for  every  man."      He  bought  the  world, 
he  claims  the  world,   and   to  him  yet,    "Every 
knee  shall  bow."     The  religion  of  Jesus  is  abso- 
lutely exclusive  because  it  is  absolutely  inclusive. 
A  revival  of  the  old  fashioned  notion  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  somebody,  would  save  the  church  from 
the  folly  that  amuses   heathendom  and  delights 
Satan. 

Jesus  himself  has  set  the  bounds  of  mission- 
ary endeavor  and  the  pace  for  the  age.  **A11 
nations,"  nothing  less,  is  his  word. 

But  glance  now  at  the  Christian's  work  as 
outlined  by  his  Lord.  Three  things:  "Make 
disciples;"  "Baptize  them;"  then  "Teach 
them."     Mark   the   order.     Change   it    not.     Is 


m 


I 


ii 


I 


I    :  , 


I 


> 


^1 

j 

i 

i 

( 
? 

J  ^4  DROPS    FROM    A 

the  church  about  its  business,  making  disciples? 
Nineteen  professing  Christians  out  of  every 
twenty  never  won  a  soul,  and  four  out  of  five 
never  honestly  tried  to.  Fellow  believer,  would 
you  like  to  have  a  hand  in  the  special  work  into 
which  the  Father  has  put  his  right  arm,  the  Son 
his  precious  blood,  and  the  Spirit  his  wealth  of 
gentle  love?  If  so,  mark  well  his  words  as  he 
outlines  the  work.  Make  disciples,  lead  them  to 
the  baptismal  waters,  and  then  teach  them  to 
obey  all  things  that  he  has  commanded. 

But  our  Lord  gives  us  in  this  farewell  one 
thing   more.     His   great   promise;    ''And,  lo,  I 
am  with  you  alway."     Mark  well  that  capital  /. 
It  is  a  good  deal  bigger  than  the  whole  universe 
I  outside  of  it.     It  verily  seems  as  if,  in  this  sweet 

*  'Good  night, "  Jesus  gathered  up  all  the  precious 
promises  he  had  ever  made  and  crystallized  them 
into  one  comprehensive  guarantee.  "Lo,  I  am 
with  you  alway."  Starting  from  an  enthroned 
Christ,  with  a  world  wide  outlook,  with  a  work 
which   is   a    continuation   of    his   own,    with   a 


'L_ 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


165 


promise  which  is  his  richest,  let  us  tread  this 
pathway  of  service,  -Which  shineth  more  and 
more,"  till  it  leads  us  to  the  foot  of  a  shining 
throne,  and  Jesus  says,  ''Well  done !  " 


I 


w 

j 


!■- 


I 


1 66  DROPS    FROM    A 


THE    MEASURE    OF     GOD'S    POWER    IN 
THE  CHRISTIAN. 

And  what  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power  to 
usward,  who  believe.— Ephesians  i  :  19. 

T^HE  power  by  which  God  works  in  the  life 
of  the  Christian  is  the  Holy  Spirit.  The 
question  arises,  How  much  can  he  do?  What 
is  the  extent  ot  his  power?  How  far  will  he  go 
in  my  life  if  I  let  him  have  his  way?  The  text 
above  is  part  of  a  prayer  in  which  the  apostle 
asks  that  they  ' '  may  know  what  is  the  greatness 
of  his  power  in  those  who  believe,"  and  then  he 
proceeds  to  state  that  it  is  according  to  the  power 
that  was  manifested  when  Jesus  Christ  was 
raised  from  the  dead,  and  scaled  at  God's  right- 
hand,  and  made  Lord  over  all.  We  pause  before 
this  statement  in  amazement.  It  means  nothinir 
less  than  this.      God  appeals  to   the   crowning 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


167 


IN 


miracle  of  the  acres;   for  it  is  a  fact  that  if  all 
the  miracles  wrought  from  the  creation  to  the 
resurrection    of   Christ  were  combined    in    one, 
they  would  not  make,  for  greatness,  the  shadow 
of  the  resurrection  and  enthronement  of  Jesus. 
It  is  the  mightiest   thing  that  God's  right  arm 
has  ever  done,  of  which  men  have  any  know- 
ledge.    Does  any  one  appeal  to  creation?      Hear 
what  the  Book  says  about  creation:     ''When  I 
behold   the  heavens,  the  work  of  thy  fingers." 
The  making  of  worlds  and  systems,  and  setting 
them^  in  their  mighty  circles,  is  ".  .it  finger  work 
for  Cxod.       Hear   now  what   the  Scripture   says 
about  the  resurrection  of    Christ:      "He   made 
bare  his  holy  arm."     Creation   is  but  his  finger 
work.     The  resurrection    of  Jusus   was   worthy 
of  his  right  arm.     And  now  God  appeals  to  this 
miracle  of  miracles,  this  wonder  of  wonders,  this 
masterpiece  of  his  own,  as  if  to  say,  when  you 
can    measure    the    power    that    raised    the    dead 
Christ  from   the  tomb   into  endless    life  ;     that 
raised  him  to  the  throne  of  (lod ;   put  the  sceptre 


f  Mi?        ,1      ( 


'I 


/, 


!ii 


k^: 


1 68  DROPS    FROM    A 


of  the  universe  in  his  hand,  and  made  every 
dominion,  principality  and  power  subject  to  him  ; 
then  you  can  measure  the  power  by  which  the 
Holy  Spirit  works  in  the  believer.  That  gentle, 
silent  uprising  within,  is  as  gentle  and  sweet  as 
,  the  dawning  of  the  morning,  as  the  incoming  of 

the  spring,  but  as  mighty  as  God's  right  arm. 
j;j|  We  need  this.     Tasks  confront  us  too  great  for 

1  I  human  hands ;  temptations  surround  us  too  strong 

j  for   human   will.      But   with   the   consciousness 

,  I  ■ ''  that  an  enthroned  Saviour  walks  within  us,  by 

'         .  his  Spirit,  we  can  dare  the  impossible  and  not  in 

,'        ^  vain.     Even  in  dealing  with  the  **  Prince  of  the 

'         ■  power  of  the  air,"  in  the  light  of  this  fact,  the 

111  place  for  his  neck  is  under  our  heel,  and  the 

I  place  for  our  heel  is  on  his  neck.     This  is  the 

i  '  normal    condition.      The    believer    is    a    king, 

because  the  King  of  Kings  dwells  within  him. 
*' But,"  some  one  asks,  "Is  it  his  intention  to 
h;  manifest  such  power?"     We  answer,   The  one 

•;  place  that  God  has  chosen  as  the  special  theatre 

,ii,  of  his  power,  is  the  life  of  his  redeemed  child. 

i\ 

(1 


I 


LIVLXG    FOUNTAIN. 


169 


A  good  commentary  on  this  text  is  Carey's 
immortal  motto:  -Expect  great  things  from 
God,  and  attempt  great  things  for  God." 


"'i 


i); 


1 


^70  DROPS    FROM    A 


BELIEVING  GOD  UNDER  DIFFICULTIES. 
I  believe  God. — Acts  27:  25. 

'J^HE  above  words  are  part  of  a  sermon  that 
was  preached  from  a  very  strange  pulpit. 
It  was  in  the  early  days  of  Christianity.  A 
hurricane  was  sweeping  the  Mediterranean.  A 
grain  ship  with  two  hundred  and  seventy-six 
souls  on  board  was  scudding  down  under  bare 
poles.  They  had  not  seen  sun  or  stars  for  days, 
and  "All  hope  that  they  should  be  saved  was 
taken  away." 

We  can  see  the  terror  stricken  crew  in  their 
J  helplessness.      But   in   their  midst  there  is  one 

man,  a  Jewish  preacher,  who  presents  a  strange 
,  contrast  to  all  the  rest.     The  light  of  hope  is  in 

'^        I  bi«  eye  ;  and  with  cheerful  voice  he  tells  them  all 

to  be  of  good  courage  for  they  will  all  be  saved. 

There  must  be  some  strange  secret  about  that 

'  man.      Let  us  question  him.      "Paul,   how   do 


LIVING     l-'OUNTAIN-. 


'71 


you  know?     Don't  you  see  that  the  ship  cannot 
live  Ions  in  s.,ch  a  sea  as  tliis?     Whence  comes 
such  marvellous  assurance  with  only  a  few  cre-.k 
ing  planks  between  yot.  and  a  merciless  ocean  •-  " 
He  answered,  .'There  stood  by  me  this  „i„,,t 
the  angel  of  (iod.  whose  I  am  and  whom  I  serve 
saying,  'Fear  not  Paul,  thou  must  be  bron..],[ 
before  Caesar.'  "     •.  Now  let  the  winds  howl  ■  l.t 
the  waves  roll;  there  will  never  l>e  a  storm  in 
the  Mediterranean  that  can  swamp  the  promise 
of  God." 

vSo  while  the  crew  watched  the  waves,  and 
w.th  quivering  hearts,  listened  to  the  wind. 
Paul  fixed  his  eye  on  the  promise  of  hi„:  v.-irl 
"(gathers  the  winds  in  his  fist "  and  holds  ihe 
ocean  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand.  How  faitli  lifis 
the  .soul  above  circumstances  I,y  „„iti„o.  it  t„  tLe 
author  of  circumstances,  and  keeps  the  spirit 
calm  m  the  midst  of  life's  wildest  storm ! 

But  do  we  stop  to  think  that  when  C,,,] 
speaks  there  are  just  two  things  that  we  can  ,lo 
with  his  testimony?     One  is  to  believe  him  ;  the 


172  DROrS    FROM    A 

Other  is  to  make  him  a  liar.  Hear  what  John 
says:  "He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  of  God 
hath  the  witness  in  himself;  he  that  believeth 
not  God,  hath  made  him  a  liar,  because  he 
believeth  not  the  record  God  gave  of  his  Son." 

This  is  true  at  the  gate  of   entrance  to  the 

Christian  life.     The  message  of  salvation  comes. 

,  One  of  two  things  every  soul  must  do  with  it, — 

every  soul  does  do  with  it ;  either  endorse  God's 
i  declaration,  "  Setting  his  seal  to   this,    that  God 

I  '  is  true,"   or  else  treat  his  message  as  if  there 

were  not  a  word  of  truth   in   it.      Answer  the 

I  -I 

K .  question  how  you  treat  the  record  that  God  gave 

of  his  Son  and  you  have  answered  the   question 

,j|  ^f  your  standing  before  him,  of  your  relation  to 

t  him,  and  of  your  destiny. 

Not  only  is  this  true  at  the  gate  of  entrance 

|j        ';  to    the    Christian   life,  but   at  every    after-step. 

I         I  Each  hour  the  soul  is  confronted  with  some  new 

ii  I 
*         1  promise    of    God.       Each    hour   the    alternative 

j,  arises  anew.  Shall  I  believe  him,  or  shall  I  doubt 

^tl       L  him?       Here    lies    the    secret  of  the  difference 


LIVINt;    FOUXTAIX 


1/3 


between  one  life  and    another.    "According,    to 
your  faith  be  it  unto  you."      Take   for  instanee 
the  victory  over  some  besettin^r  sin.       I   k^Av   I 
cannot   conquer.       I   have   tried.       I   have    been 
beaten.     Jesus  promises  deliverance  and    a  vie- 
tory  that  shall  be  more  than  a  conquest.       Slnll 
I    believe    him?      If  I   do,   no   matter  what  the 
chain,  no  matter  what  the  strength  of  the  hal)it, 
no  matter  how  heavy  sin's  deadly  mortgage  l)y 
reason  of   years  of  indulgence,  I  shall  be ''free. 
We   turn    from    sin    to  sorrow;  from  sorrow  to 
trouble;  from  trouble  to  danger;    God's  promise 
covers  all.-- Earth  hath  no  sorrow  that  heaven 
cannot  heal. "-The    tree    of  promise  will  yield 
all  kinds  of  fruit  if  shaken  by  the  hand  of  faith. 


m 


174 


DROPS    FROM    A 


ji^ 


THE  SPIRIT,  THE  WORD,  AND  THE  MAN. 

The  words  that  I  speak  unto  you,  they  aro  spirit  and 
they  are  life.— John  6:  63. 

"J" HE    work   of   God   in    this   world    is   being- 
accomplished  by  a  three-fold  agency.    The 

Spirit  of  God,  the  Word  of  God,  and  the  man  of 
God.     When  our  Lord  was  going  away   he  said 
he    would    send     "Another,"    yet    not  another. 
Another,  yet  the  Spirit  is  so  identified  with  him, 
that  where  the  Spirit  dwells  Christ  may  be  said 
to  dwell.     He,  the  Comforter,  is  the  energy  by 
which  all   the  work  that  God  is    doing;  now  is 
done,  whether  it  be  Lhe  conviction  and   conver- 
sion of  the  sinnei     he  growth  and   santification 
of  the  believer,  or  the  U])building  of  the  body, 
the  church.      ''It  is  not  by  might  nor  by  power, 
but  by  my  vSpirit  saith  th.  Lord."      Our's  is  a 
religion  of  the  Holy  Spirit.     Every  step  that  has 
been  made  by  the  church   of  Christ,   that  God 


LIVING    FO'-XTAIN. 


175 


recognizes  as  an  onward  step,  has  been  through 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

But  the  Spirit  acts  in  co-operation  with  the 
Word.     Mark  this  saying  of  Jesus  :  -  The  words 
that  I  speak  unto  you  they  are  spirit  and  they 
are  life."     Again,  in  the  parable  of  the  sower  he 
says,  -The  seed  is  the   Word."      Again,    Peter 
tells  us  that  we  were  -Born  again  of  incorrupti- 
ble seed,  by  the  Word."     What  do  these  sayings 
mean.?     That  just  as  the  life  of  the  future  plant 
is  somehow  wrapped  up  in  the  seed,  so  the  life, 
the  eternal  life,  is  wrapped   up   by   the  spirit   in 
the  letter  of  the  Word,  and  that,— just  as  where 
the  seed   falls,   there  will  be   the  harvest,— this 
seed    dropped   into  human   hearts  can  ))righten 
the  fields  of  earth  with  harvests  of  grace,  and 
whiten    the    fields  of  heaven   with    harvests   uf 
glory. 

But  who  will  carry  the  WoixP  Who  will  be 
the  medium  of  the  Spirit's  working?*  J]oth  the 
spirit  of  God  and  the  word  of  God  work  throuuh 
the    man    of   God.       Just   as  Jesus  needed  the 


176 


DROPS    FROM     A 


K 


'I' 


rxiedium  of  a  human  tongue,  a  human  heart,  a 
human  personality,  to  accomplish  his  work,  and 
so  took  upon  himself  our  nature,  he  needs  that 
medium  now.  Hence  the  call  from  the  throne, 
"  Whom  shall  we  send  and  who  will  go  for  us?  " 
A  hotel  was  burning.  The  firemen  supposed 
that  they  had  rescued  all  the  guests.  After  the 
lower  stories  were  wrapped  in  flames,  suddenly 
there  appeared  at  a  fifth  story  window  the  pale 
face  of  an  invalid  woman.  Up  went  the  longest 
ladder,  but  it  was  five  feet  too  short.  No  time 
to  piece  it,  no  time  to  build  a  support  for  it ;  the 
flames  were  leaping  higher  every  moment ;  if  she 
is  saved  it  miist  be  this  minute.  Quickly  a  broad 
shouldered  fireman  stepped  under  the  window, 
straightened  himself  up  and  said,  "1  think  you 
can  rest  the  lower  end  of  that  ladder  on  my 
shoulders."  It  was  done;  one  held  it;  another 
went  up  and  brought  her  down  in  safety.  The 
gospel  is  meant  to  reach  all  men,  but  it  needs  to 
be  pieced  out  the  length  of  a  man.  Fellow 
Christian,  will  you  be  that  man?      There   is  no 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


i;7 


unfaithfulness  in  the  work  of  the  Spirit,  none  in 
the  unchanging  testimony  of  the  truth-telling 
Word,  but  over  what  unfaithfuhiess  must  we 
mourn  on  the  part  of  the  man  whose  place  it  is 
to  complete  the  divine  combination  of  grace !  Is 
there  nothing  in  this  view  to  stir  the  soul  with  a 
profound  longing? 

"And,  O.  that  he  fulfilled  may  see 
The  travail  of  his  soul  in  nie, 
And  with  his  work  contented  be, 
As  I  with  my  dear  Saviour. " 


!;!» 


178 


DROPS    FROM    A 


THE    CHRISTIAN'S    SECRET. 

Christ  liveth  in  me.-Galations  2:  20. 

yHE    formula  of    salvation    is  very   simple. 
Just  two  things:— -Christ  died  forme" 
-Christ  liveth  in  me."     The  former  of  these  is 
known,  that   is,  intellectually   apprehended,  by 
many  who  are  not  themselves  subjects  of  divine 
grace.      Many   unchristian   men   saw   him   die. 
Multitudes  of   them   believed   that   he  did   die 
An   intellectual    faith  in  this  fact  is  shared   by 
Christian  and  unchristian  alike.     But  the  second 
part  of  this   formula,   -Christ   liveth  in  me,"  is 
the  most  profoundly  guarded  secret  beneath  the 
sun.     No  man  knows  it  unless  he  experiences  it. 
Let  us  repeat  the  words  slowly,   that  we  may 
take  in  the  wonder  of  their  meaning.      -  Christ 
liveth   in   me." 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


179 


Who   is   he?      Look   up!      A    telescope   was 
turned  to  the  -Milky  Way."     Across  the  disk 
there  floated,  in  an  hour,  one  hundred  thousand 
worlds.     Some  of  them,  by  comparison,  would 
make  this  world    look    like  an  ap])le.     Vet  that 
was  but  a  spot  like  a  .i^^arden  bed  in  the  empire 
of  Jesus  Christ.      But   he  is  far  ^-rcater  than   his 
works.     The  wonder  is,  not   what   he  has  made. 
or  what  he  has  done,  but  what  he  is  himself.     A 
king?     Yea,  -Kino- of  kings."     A  Lord  ^     Yes, 
"Lord  of  Lords." 

And  what  is  this  secret,  "Christ  liveth  in 
me?"  Can  we  take  in  the  thought  that  what  he 
is  on  yonder  throne  he  is  in  us?  When  he  came 
to  dwell  in  us,  he  left  not  one  of  his  glorious 
attributes  behind.  Indeed,  \uA  only  is  this  true, 
but  also  that  out  of  all  places  in  heaven  or  earth, 
the  one  place  where  he  desires  to  manifest  him- 
self gloriously,  is  in  the  life  of  the  believer.  It 
means  that  we  are  privileged  in  every  difficully, 
in  the  face  of  every  obstacle,  at  the  entrance  to 
every    task,    to   fall   back,    not   upon    our   own 


'^°  I^1<0I>S    FROM    A 


esonrccs.  but  „p„„  the  resources  of  an  indwell- 

n,  UH...st       If  .e  c,o  we  will  nnd  tlKa  his  „a„,e 

Vo„derfu,/Wn  our  hearts,  as  wel,  as  where 
h^      Govennnent  •'  of  worlds  is  on  his  shoulder. 
Unspeakable  thought  I      •  •  Greater  is  he  that  is  in 
"«  than  he  that   is  in  tlie  world  - 

The  Christian,  if  he  kn,>ws  it,  is  as  strong  as 
l>e  one  who  is    within    hi„,.      When   we  were 
born   again    we   were    born   eonquering  and   to 
conquer.     It  i.s  ours  to  have  such  a  suffieieney  in 

the  face  of   life's  worl-    tli-.t  , 

""-■^  woik,  that  we  can  echo  P.-iul's 

trmmphant  shout,  ''I  can  do  .,li   »i  ■ 

„  •         ■-''"  ""  •''■  things  throusfh 

Chnst  who  strengtheneth  me."  I„  this  faiU, 
wedo„ota,sk,  ..Ami  able-  Werathera.sk, 
LsHeable?"  Our  arms  are  nerved  with  the 
power  of  the  armthatmovestheuniver.se;  our 
hearts  are  filled  with  the  ..Fullne.ss  of  him  who 

fiUeth  all  th.ngs:"  our  intellects  are  enlightened 
with  the  glory  of  him  who  is  the  wisdom  of  God 
.-tnd  U  rs  our  privilege  to  be  daily  thus  tran.sfi..-' 

«-d   by   the  outshining  of  him  who   is   withil 
The  behever   who  takes  this  in  cannot  be  weak 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


I8l 


He  IS  conscious  of  an  endless  reservoir  of  power 
and  grace  within.     He  has  all  and  abounds. 

Let   us   look    now   at    some   of   the   avenues 
through   which  an  indwelling  Christ  will  mani- 
fest   himself.      First,  A;r,vr    in   trstnuo,n:-U.v. 
apt  we  arc  to  imagine   that  our  earnestness  is 
what  gives  effectiveness  to  what  we  say.     The 
fact  is,--it  is  our  privilege  to  know.-that  behind 
the    sermon,   the   Sunday   .school    teaching,    the 
prayer  meeting  testimony,  or  the  word  dropped 
by    life's    wayside,    stands    C/irisf   in    us    giving 
something   of   his   own    authority   to  the  word" 
The   testimony   of   a   Christian    ought   to    have 
much  of  the  ring  of  the  throne  about  it ;   for  he 
is  the  oracle  of   an   enthroned    Christ  dwelling 
within  him.     Given  this  faith,  and  the  testimony 
of  believers  will   be  clothed  with  power  that  will 
bend    the    hearts   of    men    as    the    forest    bends 
before   the   gale. 

ro7irr  in  prayer  :—\i  Christ  in  us,  by  the 
Spirit,  indites  and  helps  our  prayers,  then  whose 
voice,    really,    does    the    I'atlier    hear    when    we 


!     ,■ 
J' 


182 


DROPS    FROM    A 


|t 


pray?  Ours  only?  Above  ours,  the  voice  01 
his  only  begotten  Son.  This  is  the  real  meaning 
of  praying  "In  his  name;  "  or  of  '*  Praying  in 
the  Holy  Ghost;  "  to  be  so  dependent  upon  this 
indwelling  one,  that  our  petitions  become  his 
rather  than  ours.  Also,  that  the  believer  need 
no  more  speak  of  and  for  himself  when  speaking 
to  the  Father,  than  when  speaking  to  the  world 
for  the  Father.  It  is  unanswered  prayer  that 
brings  prayer  into  disrepute  and  multiplies 
infidels.  It  is  answered  prayer  that  glorifies  God, 
brings  showers  of  blessing,  stops  the  scoffer's 
mouth,  and  enlarges  the  faith  of  believers. 

Again,  in  love.  However  amiable  we  may  be 
naturally,  we  will  not  go  far  in  his  work  until  we 
get  to  the  end  of  our  own  love.  What  then  ? 
"  Christ  liveth  in  me."  I  can  fall  back,  not  up- 
on my  own  resources  of  kindness,  but  upon  his, 
and  the  same  one  who  died  for  sinners,  will  well 
up  in  me  like  a  fountain  of  living  water,  and 
love  them  through  my  heart,  and  hands,  and 
tonijue.      All  the  love  there  is  in  God  is  at  the 


LIVIXf;    FOUNTAIN. 


'«3 


command  of  the  l.dievcr.     Well  did  P„„  ,,„ 
I  long  after  y„u  all  with  th.  tender  „>ercie.s  ,>; 
Jesus  Chnst."      That  is -.  Hove  you  all  with  the 
heart  of  Jesus  Christ," 

A'TO'K  inpun,y.  Morality  means  simplv.  at 
"s  best,  the  aUsenee  of  impurity.  Christian  pur- 
.ty  means  more.  It  is  op,>„sed  to  evil,  not  sin,, 
ply  a  negative  qu.ality.  ,t  is  the  hurnino-  fire  of 
^ods  hohness  shining  through  the  ehannel  of 
hu.nan  life.  U  is  the  scorehing  sunlight  of 
thnst  s  hatred  of  sin  reveale<l  in  him  in  whom  he 
dwelleth. 

See  Zaceheus  in  his  pre.senee.    Without  bein.. 
aeeused  by  any   voiee   save   the  presence   of  the 
•sinless  one,  he  opens  his  mouth  in  confe.ssion  of 
the  dishonesty  of  his  life.     What  Jesus  did  then 
be  can  do,  and  wills  to  do  now,  through  the  be^ 
I'over.      Now,  it  is  his  purpose  to  n>ake   the   l.c 
bever'slife,  through  his  in,lwel!i„g,  such  a  repro- 
cbietion  of  his  own   that  the  believer  shall   be  in 
this   w-orld  what   be  was,  '.The  righteousness  of 
God"  among-  men. 


•5 


184 

^^<^i'S    FROM    A 

^'     ^-unspeakable     secr^M 

^;<^n^blin^  before  it.     W^'n  r'"    "^'"'^^    ^^'^^^^ 
^^^t  it.  '^^^^  P'-^tience  let  us  mani- 


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uvr\(;  K()i;mai.\.  ,o. 

Tiiic  CREAT  rkvi:.\li;r. 

I  «'"   the  lixht  of  „,,  „,„.,,,      j^,j___  ^^    __^ 
0^''<  '-'■<]  .,sestlK.u-,.rd  /,,;/,/  in   tins  savin. 

stand;yousay,  ..Iu-a,u,„,„vl,.lu  ,.„  !,.■■  ,„„ 
n— •Iwa.uit.xplai,,.,,."  UIk  „  ,.,-  ,;,„..I 
J*--"-^  says,  ..Ian,  the  l„|,i  ,„■„,,.  .,,,1,1  ■'  he 
~  the  sa,,,e  ,hin,   t,,a,  J,,,,,,   ,,,,„,   ;,,,^,,, 

hesays    ..We  K-,tou. hat  the  S„„, „■<..,„,  is.., n,, 

and   hath   .ive,,    „s    an    ,„„le,-stan,lin..  "      This 

sayinj.  the,i  sots  Ch>-ist  hel„,e  „s   ,n  the  eha,-..' 

erofareveale,-.„fa„e.xplaine,-,   ,„•.,„,,„.. 

I--*.''     come     to     „„veil    ,„ysteries    a,>d     a„swer 

questions. 

This  life  is  ft,ll„f,,,,,,,„,,,^.,.,„^^,^,^^.^__^ 
■sonie  of  thetn  e!a,no,-„„s  f.,,- ,„,,,„,      ,,,„„^.  ;,;. 
them   are    of    suel,    i,npo,-,anee   to    „s,    H,a,   ou,- 
welfare    here    and    he.vaf.e,-  depends   „p„„   „„. 
"n«wer.s.      Conee.-„i„,.    these   deep   ,„estio„s  of 


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1 85  DROPS    FROM    A 

the  soul  Jesus  says,  "  I  am  the  light  of  the 
world."  Let  us  glance  at  five  great  questions 
which  perplex  the  soul  of  man,  each  of  which 
finds  its  answer  only  in  Jesus. 

The  first  great  mystery  that  confronts  the 
human  soul  is  God.  We  know  that  he  is ;  but 
what  is  he?  Nature  gives  no  satisfactory  answer. 
At  best  she  is  but  ''The  mask  before  his  face, 
the  robe  around  his  form."  What  use  to  tell  me 
that  he  is  everywhere  when  I  cannot  find  him 
anywhere?       "Who  can  by  searching  find  out 

God?" 

In  the  light  of    nature   alone   he   is   indeed 
'  Spencer's  "  Unknown  and  Unknowable."    But  a 

j  man  appears,  "Full  of  grace  and  truth,"  and  says, 

lii  :.:■  ^'  He  that  hath  seen  me  hath  seen  the  Father." 

1  Henceforth  there  is  no  question  which  my  heart 

'     ■' '  needs  to  ask  concerning  the  Holy  One,  but  that  I 

[-'    '  find  a  perfect  answer  in  the  son  of  Mary.     Christ 

i;         •  is   God   explained,    revealed,  manifested.     God, 

brought  within  the  range  of  my  vision.     "The 

liq-ht  of  the  world." 


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LIVING   FOUNTAIN. 


187 


The  second  great  mystery  that  confronts  man 
is   man.     What   am   I?     Whence,  and  «-hither^ 
What  for?     Of  what  am  I  capable'     Jesus  is  the 
son  of  man,  as  well  as  the  Sou  of  God.       I  stand 
by   a  lake,    and   looking   down   iulo    its  plac.d 
bosom  I  see  mirrored  there  the  suu  which  shines 
far  above  me.      But  I  see  another  face  :  it  is  my 
own      Even  so  when  we  look  into  the  face  of 
Tesus  we  see  the  Father's  mirrored  there.     We 
look  again  and  see  ourselves.     Christ  is  the  re- 
velatimi  of  man  as  well  as  of  God.     Not  alone  of 
what  he  is  but  of  what  he  will  be.    He  is  God  s 
ideal   man.       The   standard,    the    pattern,    and 
when  he  appears,  we  who  believe  shall  be  like 
him.     Concerning  ««r../:w  then,  Jesus  is  "the 

light  of  the  world." 

Another  mystery  is  our  rclatwn  to  Ood.  W  e 
know  we  have  relations  with  him.-The  heathen 
know  this  without  a  Bible.-But  what  are  they. 
Christ  is  the  perfect  explanation  of  them.  -Man 
is  a  rebel,  God,  a  yearning  Father  who  has  lost  a 
child       Christ  is  God  seekin.,  the  lost.  "  Recon- 


iii 


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1 88  DROPS    FROM    A 

ciling  the  world  to  himself,"  by  his  cross.  In 
him  I  read  that  God  is  just,  and  therefore  I  am 
condemned;  that  God  loves  me,  and  therefore 
gave  his  Son  to  be  condemned  for  me ;  and  that 
I  have  but  to  surrender,  and  Jesus  by  his  death 
and  resurrection  lifts  me  up,  puts  my  arms  around 
the  neck  of  God,  and  tells  me  to  call  him  my 

Father. 

Another    mystery   is    7/ians   relation    to    man. 
The  world's  governments  have  worked  at  this 
question   for  centuries.      Jesus  alone  gives  the 
key  to  a  method  by  which  the  souls  of  men  can 
move   in    their   relation    to   each    other   with   a 
harmony    as  sweet  as  that  in  which   the   stars 
move  in  their  courses.     What  is  it  ?     "  Love  one 
another   as    I   have  loved    you."       Mankind   in 
glory  will  grow  up  to  this  statement,  but  never 
beyond  it.     It  is  the  harmony  of  the  heart  of 
God    in   the    hearts   of    men.       The   sooner   all 
perplexing  social  and  economical  problems  are 
seen  in  this  light  the  sooner  will  they  be  solved. 
One  more  great  question,  the  world's  pathetic 


LIVING    FOUNTAIN. 


189 


problem,    The  future.     '*If  a  man  die  shall  lie 
live   again?"     Nature   is   silent.     Consciousness 
gives   no   satisfactory   answer.      Jesus   alone  is 
positive.     He  star^ds  by  a  believer's  grave  and 
says,  "He  that  believeth  on  me  shall  never  die," 
and  declares  that  "All  that  are  in  the  grave  shall 
hear  his  voice  and  come  forth,  they  that  have 
done  good  unto  the  resurrection  of  life,  they  that 
have  done  evil  unto   the  resurrection  of   judg- 
ment."   And  then,  to  give  the  world  a  sample  of 
what   he    means,  he   lays   down   his   life,  steps 
voluntarily  into  the  vault  of  the  tomb,  remains 
three  days,  and  then  rises  to  die  no  more.     Since 
a  man  died,  was  buried,  rose,  passed   through 
the   heavens    and   lives    beyond    death's   power 
forever,  the  question   is   answered.      Every  be- 
liever sleeps  in  a  "hallowed  tomb." 

"  O  false  imgrateful  words,  to  call  the  grave, 
Man's  long,  last  home  ; 
•Tis  but  a  lodging,  held  from  week  to  week. 
Till  Christ  shall  come." 

We    sing  here  "The  light   of   the    world    is 


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ii 


190  UROrS   FROM   A   LIVING   FOUNTAIN. 

Jesus,"  and  as  we  look  away  to  the  Jasper  Walls 
and  Gates  of  Pearl  we  take  up  the  refrain : 

"  No  need  of  the  snnHght  in  heaven  we're  told, 
The  light  of  f/iaf  world  is  Jesus; 
The  Lamb  is  the  light  in  the  city  of  gold, 
The  hght  of  t/uif  world  is  Jesus." 


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